Local School Topics

With the expectation of losing accreditation in January 2012, Kansas City Public Schools are dealing with turbulence both within and outside their ranks. The school district’s accreditation was revoked in September after a vote from Missouri education officials. The decision was based on the fact that for several years, the district has failed to meet academic performance standards established by the state. With many questions about what will happen next, many within the district are reacting to the coming changes with fear, concern, and even panic.

The Decision is Made

According to a report in the Huffington Post, Missouri school officials decided to revoke the district’s accreditation less than a month after the current superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, John Covington, left the district to take a job in Michigan helping poorly performing schools in that state. The interim superintendent, R. Stephen Green, told the Huffington Post that while the district was disappointed in the state’s decision, they would rely on community involvement to help bring schools back up to state standards.

This is not the first time Kansas City Public Schools has lost accreditation. The first vote to this effect took effect in 2000. After two years of work to get the district's schools back up to par, Kansas City has been granted provisional accreditation since 2002. However, after years of failing to make the grade, education officials decided it was time again to take matters into their own hands.

“We’ve

Online learning has become a convenient way for many students of all ages to meet academic requirements today. However, as more of the world goes virtual, some states are beginning to require secondary students to spend at least some of their academic experience online. Idaho is the latest state to join the trend, with even stricter online requirements than their three predecessors: Michigan, Florida, and Alabama. Although Idaho legislators believe online education is the best way to prepare students for life in the 21^st century, not everyone in the state is on board with the idea.

The Advent of Online Learning

Online learning is not a new concept. College courses have been available online for some time, with some universities going entirely virtual for the convenience of students. High schools have also seen an increase in online learning, which is a helpful option for students who perform better in school when they can go at their own pace. It is also essential for some students who cannot quickly get to a classroom daily due to a physical disability or other challenge.

As virtual learning continues to grow globally, it has become touted as the education wave of the future. With the ability to earn degrees online, students can now study from anywhere in the world, as long as they have a computer or comparable device and an Internet connection. Undoubtedly, online courses are reshaping how we look at academics today. However, controversy arose when legislators began

New York has been boasting about their increase in high school graduation rates in recent years, using that data as a benchmark for successful secondary schools. However, recent statistics showing the college readiness of those high school graduates do not paint such a rosy picture about the state of New York's public education. With few students heading to college campuses after high school and even fewer prepared for the rigors of higher education, it appears New York schools may still have an uphill battle in getting students ready for college.

This video reports on the proposed desegregation of certain city schools.

Report Cards are Out

Progress reports have been issued by the Department of Education for New York schools for the past five years, indicating completion rates by students after four years of high school. This year, about half the schools received the same grade as last year, according to a report at the New York Times. One-third received a lower grade, and just 15 percent improved their grade over the past year. These grades do not reflect the college-readiness standards that were implemented this year, but those scores will be factored into the overall grades of schools next year.

“There’s a huge change in life chances for kids who are successful in post-secondary education,” Shael Polakow-Suransky, the chief academic officer for New York City, told the Times. “We really

Recent standardized test scores released by the Nebraska Department of Education show some serious performance discrepancies between minority students throughout the state and their white counterparts. According to the scores, disparities reign in core subjects like reading and math, and the dismal figures are consistent throughout much of the state. However, despite the discouraging data collected from the most recent bout of statewide testing, there are also a few bright spots among the education clouds as well.

About the Tests

According to Omaha.com, the most recent test results come from a compilation of individual test scores and demographic data from all 249 of the state’s public school districts. Math scores came from a new state test, which that is part of a series of assessments being introduced in Nebraska. These assessments, unlike previous statewide testing, will be more in line with the federal standards in the No Child Left Behind Act. The test was taken for the first time last year, and school officials anticipated some lower scores across the board, as both students and teachers acclimated to the new method of testing.

A new reading test was developed as well, also to conform to the No Child Left Behind standards. According to the Beatrice Daily Sun, the new tests were developed by the state legislature, after the Nebraska Department of Education failed to prove that current assessments were accurate measures of student achievement under federal standards. While some drop in scores was expected, the surprise

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Public School board have been getting plenty of flack in recent weeks on their decision to lengthen the school day across the city. To ensure the additional hours students spend in the classroom pay off, the mayor has also recently unveiled his new model of a high school hybrid that allows participating students to earn their high school diploma and a college degree simultaneously. This new model will initially be placed at five high schools around the city, but if it is successful, it could be used as an example for other schools around the country.

High School Ready and College Bound

According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the new school will offer students the opportunity to complete high school and move to a community college degree, all in a single location. The schools will allow students to work at their own pace, but the expectation is that most students will take a full six years to complete the program. Areas of study will primarily focus on those pertinent to current industries, such as math, science, and engineering. However, English literacy and comprehension will also be stressed within the program.

This video highlights changes in the Chicago Public Schools.

An article in the Imperfect Parent explains how this program will be a boon not only to students who want