Series 2558: Constituent Correspondence, 2000-2003
38931
From: "ECS e-Connection" <e-connection@ecs.org> To: Governor Musgrove Created: 5/23/2001 9:27 AM Subject: ECS e-Connection 05/23/01 Message: ********************************************************** * Welcome to the "e-Connection" from the * * EDUCATION COMMISSION OF THE STATES, * * a weekly publication with links * * to key education information. * * * * http://www.ecs.org/ecs/e-connection * * * ********************************************************** ------------------------ WHAT STATES ARE DOING ------------------------ West Virginia Governor Bob Wise signed into law a bill (SB 439) which PROHIBITS STUDENT SUSPENSIONS based solely on a failure to attend class. The bill specifies that other discipline methods may be used for a truant pupil, including detention, extra class time or alternative class settings. The bill also prohibits the corporal punishment of any pupil by school employees. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#ws Texas Governor Rick Perry signed legislation (HB 1130) requiring school districts to develop plans that encourage HIRING EDUCATIONAL AIDES who show a willingness to become certified teachers. The bill makes it easier for school employees who have served as educational aides to receive tuition waivers at higher education institutions. Under the legislation, higher education institutions also are required to develop plans that will make teacher certification classes more accessible through the Internet and night classes. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#ws ------------------------ GOOD READS ------------------------ Findings about the progress and prospects of the nation's youth are presented in the 12th annual KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. According to the report, which is broken down state by state, decreases were recorded in the infant mortality rate, the child and teen death rates, and the high school dropout rate. In addition, there has been a steady decline in the rate of teenage births, which dropped from 37 per 1,000 teens in 1990 to 30 per 1,000 teens in 1998. The analysis also shows, however, that more than 16 million children have parents who, despite being employed all year, struggle to make ends meet. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#gr Although the INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA) has helped open the door to educational success for millions of children with special needs, "special education today is broken for too many children," and IDEA is a "program at risk," according to a report by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and the Progressive Policy Institute. The report, "Rethinking Special Education for a New Century," contains a series of 14 essays on special education topics, as well as a list of suggested principles for reform. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#gr A new report by Recruiting New Teachers, Inc. utilizes data from a national poll to gauge PUBLIC ATTITUDES ABOUT TEACHING, educational opportunity and school reform. The report,"The Essential Profession: American Education at the Crossroads," finds that putting a qualified teacher in every classroom outpolls every other strategy for school reform (including vouchers, high-stakes testing, establishing a system of academic standards, ending social promotion and reducing class size) by commanding majorities. The report also finds that Americans favor providing a variety of incentives to retain higher quality teachers including pay raises, loan forgiveness, tax credits and signing bonuses. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#gr ------------------------ NEW ECS PUBLICATIONS ------------------------ ECS has developed a new Internet issue site on REMEDIATION. Remediation refers to coursework offered at postsecondary institutions that is below college-level work. This issue has received a great deal of attention lately as many states question how and when such remedial courses should be offered and who should bear the costs involved. The site contains: background information and a series of "quick facts," an overview of what states are currently doing with regard to remediation, a list of selected remediation readings and a list of other useful Web sites. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#ep ------------------------ UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS ------------------------ A national symposium addressing teacher quality for children and YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES will be held on June 8-10 in Washington, DC. The work of the symposium will focus on how state policies and practices can impact the development of a highly qualified special education workforce when there is alignment of professional teaching standards with accreditation and licensure processes. The symposium is sponsored by The National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, the U.S. Department of Education/Office of Special Education Programs and The Council for Exceptional Children. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#um ------------------------ OTHER USEFUL WEB SITES ------------------------ The National Center on Education Statistics has put together a "step-by-step guide" for local and state education agencies interested in designing and implementing an AUTOMATED STUDENT INFORMATION system. Included in the contents are guidelines, checklists and real-life examples. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#ow UCLA's Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing has made its QSP (Quality School Portfolio) software available via the Internet. The software, which is free for public school districts in the United States, is designed to enable improved DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONMAKING and lets users import and disaggregate data from a variety of sources. http://www.ecs.org/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp#ow ---------------------------------------------------------- Please give us feedback by replying to this e-mail. If you do not wish to receive e-Connection, reply with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. - Attachment Filename: C:\archives\governor\mail\Governor Musgrove\_attach\ECS e-Connection 05_23_01\Mime.822
Attachments
ecs_e-connection_05_23_01/mime.822