Greetings from the Alliance for Excellent Education. Between the hustle and bustle of the day, take a moment to kick back relax and take in some of the top news in the world of education.
After years of recession and budget cuts, state funding for K-12 education is beginning to improve nationwide. According to Stateline, a new survey indicates that many states plan on increasing spending on K-12 education this year. However, state education spending remains below pre-recession levels.
From Education Week, Rep. John Kline (R-MN) who serves as chairman of the House education committee, will release a formal version of his draft bill rewriting the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also know as the No Child Left Behind Act, very soon. Principals, superintendents, and school boards will have the opportunity to critique the draft.
Despite initiatives to remove vending machines from schools and fitness programs to tackle childhood obesity, junk food is still easily attainable in schools across the country, particularly in elementary schools. The Associated Press reports that a new study suggests cookies, sugary juices, chips and other junk food remains plentiful at the nation's elementary schools..
In the nation’s history, corporal punishment was a common and widely accepted method of discipline in schools. Popular culture, movies in particular, depicts teachers and nuns who utilize rulers and paddles to correct bad behavior. Nowadays, 30 states have outlawed the practice of paddling, spanking, and hitting children as a form of discipline. As MSNBC shows, the state of Georgia is not one of them.
Digital Learning Day has passed but the momentum for incorporating digital technology into the classroom is just getting started. John Klein of the HuffingtonPostblogs about his belief that technology can radically transform the way students learn by customizing instruction, and by helping teachers focus on each student's areas of greatest need. “It's not just about lighter backpacks,” he jokes.
