Higher education bills clear House
• The House passed two bills July 9 that would significantly improve the ability of school districts to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, as required under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. NSBA supports both bills.
The Ready to Teach Act (H.R.2211) would require teacher preparation programs to focus on academic subject knowledge and state standards, make institutions of higher education accountable for producing high-quality teachers, and require these programs to be aligned with the teacher-quality requirements of NCLB.
The House approved an amendment sought by NSBA to give local school districts more control over partnership grant funds for professional development activities.
The other bill, the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act (H.R.438), would increase the amount of student loans that can be forgiven from $5,000 to $17,500 for certain teachers in Title I schools.
Court upholds Seattle's racial tiebreakers
• The Seattle school district's use of racial tiebreakers does not violate state law, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled June 26.
Seattle assigns students to the high school of their choice unless projected enrollment exceeds capacity. The district uses race as one of several tiebreakers that determine who to admit to "oversubscribed" schools.
The policy gives a preference to white students seeking to enroll in predominantly minority schools and favors students of color seeking admittance in predominantly white schools.
A group called Parents Involved in Community Schools had sued the district, charging that the policy violates Initiative 200. That measure, approved by state voters in 1998, prohibits racial discrimination and preferences in public hiring, contracting, and school admissions.
State Supreme Court Justice Tom Chambers upheld the school district's policy, stating that affirmative action programs are permissible under state law, as are racially neutral programs, such as Seattle's open choice plan.
The opinion also says "children must learn to respect and live with one another in multiracial and multicultural communities."
"We are gratified that the Supreme Court affirmed our position that diversity in the classroom has real educational benefit," says Seattle school board President Nancy Waldman.
NEA sues over NCLB unfunded mandates
• The National Education Association is preparing to sue the federal government to challenge the unfunded mandates imposed on states and school districts by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.
The lawsuit will cite the provision in NCLB stating that "Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the federal government to . . . mandate a state or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds or incur any costs not paid for under this act."
"It is becoming quite clear that NCLB is shaping up to be the granddaddy of all underfunded federal mandates -- much bigger even than IDEA," NEA President Reg Weaver says. "The federal government has dumped the NCLB program into the laps of the governors, state legislators, and local officials, saying, 'You pay for our promises!'"
Taxpayers at every level are providing enough funding to achieve the goals of NCLB, counters U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige.
"It is unfortunate that the NEA establishment is talking about ways to hinder the goal of true reform and greater educational achievement opportunities for our children," Paige says. "We've assembled a coalition of the willing to help the kids who need it most; the NEA wants to assemble a coalition of the whining to hold kids back."
Guidelines address sports in hot weather
• A task force convened by the National Athletic Trainers' Association has come up with recommendations to reduce the number of student athletes who die or become ill after practicing or playing in extremely hot and humid conditions.
The Inter-Association Task Force on Exertional Heat Illnesses says athletes, coaches, parents, and medical staffs need to be educated about the prevention and treatment of exertional heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and related conditions.
The task force recommends that medical staffs have the authority to alter work/rest ratios and practice schedules and excuse participants based on heat conditions and athletes' medical conditions.
International education awards
• A new awards program will honor innovative initiatives involving international education for K-12 students and teachers. The Goldman Sachs Foundation's Prizes for International Education will be managed by the Asia Society.
Five prizes of $25,000 each will be awarded annually. One prize will go to an elementary or middle school that engages its students in learning about other world regions, cultures, and languages.
Another prize will go to a high school that engages all or most of its students in learning about Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, or international affairs.
Applications are due Sept. 30.