In the News: A Clipping Service – May 10, 2011

In this edition of In the News:

  • State Superintendent Paul Pastorek is Resigning
  • New RSD Superintendent Signs 3-year Contract
  • Local Education News
  • National Education News
  • Forbes Ranks N.O. Metro Area #2 for Jobs

State Superintendent Paul Pastorek is Resigning

Officials Say Schools Chief Quitting
Associated Press – May 10, 2011
Sources close to Paul Pastorek say he is stepping down as State Superintendent of Education.

New RSD Superintendent Signs 3-year Contract

White To Be Paid $281,000
The Advocate – May 3, 2011
The new superintendent of the Recovery School District, John White, has signed a three-year contract. He will get a pay package of nearly $281,000 per year, which includes salary, vehicle allowance, housing allowance (for up to a year), and retirement.

Local Education News

New Orleans Military and Maritime Academy to Open in Algiers
The Times-Picayune – May 6, 2011
A new type 2 charter high school (open to all students in Louisiana) will open this fall in Algiers with a focus on the principles of military discipline and honor. All of the students will be part of the junior ROTC program.

New Orleans Charter Schools Taking Their Time to Set Up Attendance Zones
The Times-Picayune – May 5, 2011
A new state policy allows most of the city’s charter schools to set up neighborhood attendance zones, but the deadline for getting approval from the state for the 2011-12 school year just past, and not one charter asked for approval. For some, the deadline came too quickly to make it feasible for next year. For others, giving preference to students in a certain area could threaten their federal startup financing.

Why is School System Paying Millions to Bus Children All Over the City?
WWL TV – May 2, 2011
The RSD signed a new $10.5 million contract to work with Durham School Services. As a result, busing 5,700 students costs more than $1,800 per student. Compare this to Memphis – $514 per student, or Hinds County, Mississippi – $900 per student, and some feel the RSD is paying too much for bussing.

Frustration Lingers Over Finding a Place for Every Student
The Times-Picayune – May 9, 2011
Without a central clearinghouse to make sure every student finds a school, many parents of students with disabilities are struggling to find a place for their children in the city’s school system.

National Education News

Review: The Nation’s Report Card: Civics 2010
The Education Gadfly – May 5, 2011
The Nation’s Report Card assessed the performance of some 26,000 students on the civics NAEP test. Across all grades, only 25% of students scored proficient, and 2% advanced. At the fourth-grade level barely one quarter of students could identify a function of the military, and only 2% could offer up two rights of American citizens. Only 1% of eighth graders could recognize a role performed by the Supreme Court.

Read the Nations Report Card: Civics.

KIPP Schools: A Reform Triumph, or Disappointment?
Time – April 27, 2011
KIPP has just released its College Completion Report, which shows that 33% of students who completed a KIPP middle school at least 10 years ago have a bachelor’s degree today. While this far outpaces the national graduation rate of 8% for similar students, it is well below KIPP’s own goals for college graduation.

Read the KIPP College Completion Report.

Cincinnati Shows How to Close the Achievement Gap
Hometown Source – April 21, 2011
The Cincinnati school district has increased overall high school graduation rates to 81.9% in 2010. That is up from 51% to 2000. The district also has eliminated the graduation gap between white and African American students.

Forbes Ranks N.O. Metro Area #2 for Jobs

The Best Cities For Jobs
Forbes – May 2, 2011
The New Orleans metro area moved up a stunning 46 places to capture the #2 spot on Forbes list of best metropolitan areas for jobs.