When Teachers Cheat: The Standardized Test Controversies

School nurses have long given peace of mind to parents, who entrusted nurses with their children's medical issues during school hours. School nurses have carried out a wide range of responsibilities in schools, ranging from treating a sore throat and administering medication to handling medical emergencies. Unfortunately, budget cuts at school districts across the country have left many students without the medical help they need if an emergency arises. Full-time school nurses have become as out of fashion as chalkboards and electric typewriters, and it doesn't appear they will be returning to the world of education any time soon, according to recent reports.

Read the National Association of School Nurses' A Case for School Nurses for a detailed fact-based rationale as to why school nurses are necessary. Additionally, the NASN makes the point that "A student’s health is directly related to his or her ability to learn. Children with unmet health needs have a difficult time engaging in the educational process. The school nurse supports student success by providing health care through assessment, intervention, and follow-up for all children within the school setting. The school nurse addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and social health needs of students and supports their achievement in the learning process."

What School Nurses Do

According to the Center for Nursing Advocacy, there are many tasks that school nurses perform every day, including:

• Providing health care to students and school staff
• Overseeing health management and the provision of

Across the country, school districts are being forced to tighten their belts as budgets get smaller and expenditures continue to grow. However, recent audits of a number of districts reveal that some schools may be able to save some of their staff and programs by getting smarter in their money management strategies.

In fact, some audits are showing funding that is blatantly wasted by lack of discretionary spending or poor bookkeeping procedures. In the current economic crisis through which many families are struggling, few have much compassion for school districts carelessly flushing taxpayer dollars away.

Tough Times

According to the American Association of School Administrators, the economic slowdown is having a very real impact on public schools today. To compound the problem, stimulus funds will soon run out, leaving school districts in an even bigger financial bind. A recent study by AASA shows that "school districts' economic situation does not mimic the stability and recovery beginning to take hold nationwide." This means that budget cuts for the upcoming school year might be even deeper than those that have been made for the previous two academic calendars.

When times are tough, everyone is expected to sacrifice and count their pennies carefully. However, some school districts are not adhering to these guidelines, and auditors are finding out that money is being wasted, rather than used to save programs and teachers' jobs. Three school districts in particular have recently hit the news, thanks to poor money

Homeless children face a myriad of issues, not the least of which is the ability to get a quality education. Unfortunately, the incidence of homeless families has been on the rise since the economic downturn began. Across the country, schools are working hard to ensure homeless students get a level playing field, with the hopes these children can get the education they need to move out of a life of poverty.

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty states: "Homeless children and youth often have problems enrolling and participating in school. As a result, Congress passed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in 1987. This law gives homeless children and youth the right to:

• Remain in the same school even if they move;
• Enroll in a new school without typically required records such as proof of
• residency, immunizations, school records, or other papers;
• Get transportation to school;
• Get all the school services they need; and
• Challenge decisions made by schools and districts.

This video looks at the issue of homeless high school students.

Identifying Homeless Children

According to the National Association of School Psychologists, "homeless children include those who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence." This might include children who live in shared housing, motels, cars or shelters.

Sometimes homeless students are identified directly, making it easy for school staff to provide the necessary assistance. However,

PE class has always been a cornerstone of a public education. However, some states are taking health concerns a step further by monitoring children's body mass index and reporting findings back to parents for further action.

Is a school weigh-in taking physical fitness too far? There are experts on both sides of the issue generating a compelling debate over "fat grades" in schools today.

The Obesity Problem

Few experts would argue the fact that childhood obesity is a problem of epidemic proportions today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of youth considered obese tripled between 1980 and 2004. Today, 19% of children between the ages of 6 and 11, as well as 17% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19, are classified as obese. That translates to about 25 million children in this country who are at greater risk of what was once considered adult health issues, such as high cholesterol, hypertension and lifestyle-related diabetes.

One way to determine whether an individual is obese is by calculating the body mass index, or BMI. The BMI is the ratio of a person's height to weight, squared, and it usually gives an accurate determination of an individual's body fat.

The CDC recommends that schools conduct BMI surveillance programs, similar to the ones some schools have adopted. However, in the CDC model, results are anonymous and used more to determine trends in specific population sects, rather than assessing an individual