Duly noted: Dec 21 – Dec 27, 2009

Happy holidays!  This is the last edition of Duly Noted this year.  Enjoy and see you in the new year! Race to the Top is driving state policy action across the nation as state governors and legislatures look for ways to alleviate their budgetary woes.  The Department of Education estimates that competing for the funds [...]

Duly noted: Dec 14 – Dec 20, 2009

In response to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that prohibited school districts from using racial data to assign students, the Chicago public school system is using socio-economic profiles rather than race to increase diversity, raising fears that gains in racial diversity might be erased. The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority approved a “doomsday budget” for [...]

Duly noted: Dec 7 – Dec 13, 2009

Anger over the University of California tuition increase continues.  Students barricaded themselves into a San Francisco State University building.  26 were arrested.  In addition, 8 people were arrested at UC-Berkeley for breaking windows, lights, and planters outside the home of the chancellor of the University of California.  On Friday night, 40-70 protester threw incendiary devices at [...]

Duly noted: Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2009

Micro-financing of student loans in the developing world is the hot new trend in education and international development.  Vittana Foundation, which provides loans to would-be students in the developing world, has an innovative model of philanthropy.  Loans are given directly by visitors to the website and sent to particular students that the lenders choose.  The [...]

Duly noted: Nov 23 – Nov 29, 2009

President Obama announced an initiative to promote and encourage math, science, and technology education, and asked corporations and non-profit organizations to help.  He also annouced an annual science fair at the White House. Officials in Oregon said that teachers in Oregon are likely to win the right to wear religious clothing, such as yarmulkes, head [...]

Duly Noted: Nov 16 – Nov 22, 2009

Citing drastic cutbacks in state funding and a $1 billion budget gap, the University of California increases tuition by 32% on Thursday, a decision that was met by opposition, protest, and anger by students and parents in California.  Berkeley student protesters occupied a campus building briefly on Friday.  Dozens were arrested, but the occupation ended [...]

Duly noted: Nov 9 – Nov 15, 2009

Department of Education officially opened the competition for the “Race to the Top” Funds, where states can apply and compete for a piece of the $4.35 billion to create “innovative” programs that can be replicated throughout the country.   Justice Anthony Kennedy, “one of the court’s most vigilant defenders of First Amendment values,” insisted on pre-approving a [...]

Duly noted: Nov 2 – Nov 8, 2009

Citing the low graduation rate of students in Palm Beach County, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against state official of Florida, alleging that they failed to ensure that students in Palm Beach County receive a high quality education as required by the Florida constitution. Louisiana passes a statute that requires documentation of every [...]

Duly noted: Oct 26 – Nov 1, 2009

More than half the 640,239 jobs saved by the stimulus bill are teacher jobs, according to detailed information released by the Obama administration on Friday.  Teachers accounted for 325,000 jobs that were saved by stimulus funding. College enrollments hits an all-time high, driven by a surge of enrollment at 2-year community colleges.  39.6% of adults [...]

Duly noted: Oct 19 – 25, 2009

Public colleges tuition rose 6.5% last year, and private college tuition rose 4.4%, although consumer price index had a negative growth.  Private student loans declined by 52% in 2008 to 2009 as lenders, hard-hit by the recession, tightened credit standards. The most expensive college in the US is Sarah Lawrence College, at $54,410 for room/board [...]