First, the good news: a new study by the Center for Education Policy shows that student achievement in public schools is increasing, and the achievement gap is narrowing across grade levels and subjects. But many of this week’s headlines centered around the beating death of an honors student outside his Chicago high school, a barbaric act that made international news when it was caught on a cellphone video. This morning we learned that President Obama will send Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric Holder to Chicago to address school violence next week, and a Chicago-based columnist notes that the walk home is often the most feared part of the day for students.
In other news this week:
As part of a larger plan to get experienced teachers to high-need schools, the National Education Association is advising its members to waive any contract provisions that prohibit those teachers from transferring. Critics are skeptical, though, that this will amount to much at the local level.
A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that less than 10 percent of high school students eat enough fruits and veggies, despite all the attempts to persuade them to do so.
And it’s on the way: The H1N1 vaccine will be delivered to schools as soon as next week.
Read these stories and more in School Board News Today‘s daily round-up of the best and most relevant headlines. Miss a day? Check out the weekly recap.
