Recess Important to Student Learning

See "The 3Rs, A fourth one is crucial, the recess", NYT, 2/23/09

US Students Showing Gains in Math, Not Science, and Still Outperformed Nationally

See Tests show US gains on scores for math, NYT, 12/10/08, at A23

NJ to Make it Illegal for Students to Drop out Until Age 18 (from 16)

See Making it tougher to drop out is a bad idea, Bergen Record, 11/21/08, at A13

Study Finds Cheating on Tests Prevalent Among High School Students

See Digging out roots of cheating in high school, NYT, 10/13/08, at A28

-study finds more than 90 percent cheated in some way as per 25000 HS grads b/w 2001 and 2008

-peer norms appear to be major cause, study finds honor code helps

-copying on tests and use of crib notes common

NYC Teachers Will be Rated Based on Student Improvement on Standardized Tests

See Teachers to be measured based on students' standardized test scores, NYT, 10/2/08, at B3

-reports will not be a factor in tenure or annual rating process

NYC Parents Upset by Testing of Kindergardeners

See Parents slam K kid testing, NYP, 8/28/08, at 2

Majority of NYC Public High School Students Graduating on Time

See Most in City now graduate in four years, NYT, 8/12/08, at B1

-slight rise for fifth year in a row to 52.2 percent
-68.6 percent statewide
-Bloomberg argues this is reason for extension of mayoral control of NYC schools

Girls Showing No Gap in Math Scores Versus Boys

See Math scores show no gap for girls, study finds, NYT, 7/25/08, at A16

-Science magazine study shows girls now in advanced math scores
-7 million students in 10 states

New Type of Reading by Students in Internet Age Under Debate

See Literacy debate: online, R U really reading?, NYT, 7/27/08, at A1

-digital versus print expanding
-

East Ramapo School District Holding Back Nearly 12% of First Graders in Controversial Plan

SeeHolding back young students: is program a gift or a stigma?, NYT, 6/25/08, at B1

-8400 student school district
-first graders held back in 15 person segregated classes to try to boost student achievement early

US High School Students Falling Behind Students in Other Countries Such as India and China

Highs hitting a low, NYP, 6/1/08, at 24
-too much focus on football and facebook
-short attention spans problematic

Wake Forest University and Smith College End Requirement for Incoming Students to Submit SAT or ACT scores

See "Two colleges end test-score requirement," NYT, 5/27/08 at A19

NJ bill would make school mandatory until age 18

See "Bill would make school mandatory until age 18," Bergen Record, 5/16/08, at L2

-17 states now require compulsory education until age 18; would raise it from age 16; A-1209 is bill number

Long Island Districts Integrates Global Focus into Curriculum

See"District puts all the world in classrooms," NYT, 5/16/08, at B1

-Herricks, LI school in New Hyde Park will integrate international studies into every aspect of curriculum

Competition intensifies for NYC choice high schools

See "HS daze for left-out kids," NYDN, 4/30/08, at 15

-7772 students didn't get in anywhere
-85000 placed in 400 schools

Colleges Offering More Entrepreneurship Classes

See "Take course, start business," NYT, 5/1/08, at C7

-describes growing popularity of entrepreneur classes in college

Electronic Message Symbols Becoming Common in Schoolwork

See "Informal style of electronic messages is showing up in schoolwork, study finds," NYT, 4/25/08, at A16

-email, text, social networking posting styles used such as LOL, no capitalization

-27 percent have online journal, 11 percent have website, more than 50 percent have myspace or facebook page

NYCDOE Students Avoid Summer School Through Controversial Credit Recovery Programs

See "Lacking the credits to graduate, some students learn a shortcut," NYT, 4/11/08, at A1

-NYCDOE students use credit recovery programs to avoid summer school, but critics protest it devalues diplomas

NYC Schools Paying Students for Excellent Test Scores as Incentive Program to Excel

See "Next question: can students be paid to excel?", NYT, 3/5/08, at A1

-pilot programs at 200 schools in NYC