Thursday, March 11, 2010
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Education news in brief
The Detroit News education team keeps you up to date on issues impacting students in Michigan, from elementary through college.
Latest topics:
Kelly Bristow: If you have kids in school, you are probably bombarded with a paper trail of school work. Obviously, that's a good gauge on what's being taught at … 
Matt Eder: Last week was a time of transition for our family as my wife went back to work after three months of maternity leave. I'm happy to report the … 
Tom Markowski: The Operation Friendship boys baksetball game has evolved into a meaningless game. The intensity was so low inside Detroit Cass Tech High School last … Viewpoints
Right now in School Talk
My, my----what has happened to the "savior", and the Detroit newspaper's posterboy, Bob … Read more
-- APR, Detroit, Mi
Right now in High School Sports Talk
Just an FYI - WWT is in the MAC SILVER. The Blue is 2 divisions above what WWT plays in. DLS … Read more
-- dandaman, Shelby Twp, Mi
Right now in Mom Talk
I share your thoughts about the library. But the bottom line is its NOT ABOUT THE LIBRARY. Its … Read more
-- couflinks, Franklin, MI
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Education
- Talks continue over future of troubled RI school - 10:40 AM
- KC superintendent says school closings are painful - 10:06 AM
- Math and English classes could be standardized - 07:23 PM
- Ex-Texas school worker pleads guilty to abuse - 06:21 PM
- Texas ed board set to take 1st vote since primary - 03:13 AM
Michigan
- Casino cash could boost local scholarship programs - 11:05 AM
- Deliberations begin for jury in 2 Mich. deaths - 10:34 AM
- Man sentenced in ND van fire attack - 10:22 AM
Detroit plan targets failing schools
A coalition of education leaders and foundations will unveil today a sweeping academic reform agenda that targets failing schools, calls for 70 new programs and launches a national effort to recruit principals. - 03/11/2010
Voters may decide school aid
East Lansing -- Reform school spending first, then ask voters this summer to pay more for public education, if necessary, a leading House Democrat proposed Wednesday. - 03/11/2010
Lincoln High in Warren to reopen
Addition at Lincoln High School in Warren suffers fire damage
Warren -- Lincoln High School reopens today, one day after a blaze forced an evacuation and resulted in about $50,000 in damage to an addition being built on the campus. - 03/11/2010
Kansas City to close half of its schools
Kansas City, Mo. -- Facing potential bankruptcy, the Kansas City school board is shuttering almost half the district's schools. - 03/11/2010
Plan would bring fed standard to academics
A panel of educators convened by the nation's governors and state school superintendents proposed a uniform set of academic standards on Wednesday, laying out their vision for what all the nation's public school children should learn in math and English, year by year, from kindergarten to high school graduation. - 03/11/2010
Kids use Web to learn a foreign language
Lake City, Mich. -- Learning Spanish has hit the 21st century in Lake City. In the past, learning a foreign language meant textbooks, workbooks, listening exercises and sometimes videos. At Lake City Upper Elementary, however, learning a foreign language is now more like a game. - 03/11/2010
DPS deficit grows under Bobb
Nearly a year after Robert Bobb pledged overspending in the Detroit Public Schools would end, the district has added nearly $100M to its debt. - 03/10/2010
Lawmakers may take school spending reforms to voters
East Lansing -- Lawmakers are working on a plan to ask voters in August whether they are on board with school reforms and are willing to spend more money to keep from having to make deeper cuts in school aid, a legislative leader on education issues said today. - 03/10/2010
SUV hits school; 6 children injured
Franklin -- A scary scene ended with only minor injuries Tuesday when a teacher accidentally reversed her vehicle through a wall and into a preschool learning area, sending four youngsters to the hospital, police said. - 03/10/2010
Detroit Schools board sues Robert Bobb over private compensation
The Detroit Public School Board unanimously voted Monday night to file a second lawsuit against Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb, saying $145,000 in private foundation support he receives under his new contract is unlawful. - 03/09/2010
Survey: Woes growing for local school districts
Lansing -- A growing number of local school districts will face bankruptcy, layoffs and program cuts in the coming year due to budget woes, a survey revealed Monday. - 03/09/2010
Electronic clickers let college students ask and answer questions
Boulder, Colo. -- The students in Michael Dubson's physics class at the University of Colorado fell silent as a multiple choice question flashed on a screen, sending them scrambling for small white devices on their desks. - 03/09/2010
Survey shows state schools need 'transformational change,' leader says
More than one in five Michigan school districts faces a deficit in the coming year, a survey of schools revealed today. - 03/08/2010
DPS initiative to get parents involved, offer training
Detroit -- More than 200 parent leaders from across the district gathered Saturday at Renaissance High School to learn how they can help encourage other parents to become more involved in city schools. - 03/06/2010
Granholm 'disappointed' over shut out for federal education funding
East Lansing -- Michigan intends to "go swinging" for the second round of federal education reform money, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Friday, but first will see if new reforms are needed to possibly strengthen the state's bid. - 03/06/2010
The business of making movies
Students getting their props
Royal Oak -- Michael Jackson of Pontiac has had zombies on the brain lately. Jackson, 18, was one of nine students who participated in a pilot program at Oakland Schools Technical Campuses Northeast and Southeast to develop skills in prop building and stage construction -- skills that could come in handy with Michigan's burgeoning film industry. - 03/06/2010
DPS gets $41.7M in upgrades
Detroit -- Students next year will use new ID cards to get into Detroit schools that will be monitored by dozens of cameras. Looking to bolster safety and accountability, Detroit Public Schools will spend $41.7 million on the upgrades as well as build a Public Safety headquarters. - 03/05/2010
Michigan schools fail to win federal money
Recent school reforms failed to win Michigan a shot at millions in federal funding Thursday, and officials must wait a month to see if more changes are needed to increase its chances. - 03/05/2010
Bobb's pay stirs ethics controversy
Community and union activists Wednesday raised questions about influence that foundations that are paying more than a third of Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb's salary may have on his decisions. - 03/04/2010
Lake Michigan College bans child sex crime offenders
Benton Harbor -- Lake Michigan College has banned people convicted of sex crimes against children and listed on the state sex offender registry from attending classes on its four campuses, officials say. - 03/04/2010
Utica school custodians to protest
Utica -- Hundreds of Utica Community Schools custodians and supporters are expected before Monday night's board meeting to protestthe district's talks of privatizing custodial services. - 03/04/2010
Text of e-mail sent by Detroit school board president Otis Mathis
This letter was sent Sunday by Detroit Public Schools board President Otis Mathis to his supporters, protesting that the Mark Twain school was closed in favor of the Boynton school. - 03/04/2010
Student in custody after 'minor' chemical device detonates at DPS school
Police have a 14-year-old student in custody who may be the person who ignited a plastic container holding home cleaning fluids today at the Phoenix Multi-Cultural Academy, forcing an evacuation. - 03/03/2010
Detroit Schools' Bobb gets $81K raise
Staying a second year in Detroit has netted Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb an $81,000 raise, most of it coming from private foundations. - 03/03/2010
Utica high-schoolers try teaching
Sterling Heights -- Rachel Dixon, 17, always figured she'd like to become a teacher, but she wanted to be sure. The deal was sealed after she signed up with the Utica Community Schools Future Educator Program, where she assists a teacher four days a week. - 03/03/2010
Oakland University gets $1.5 million in stimulus grants
Rochester -- Oakland University says it has received three National Science Foundation stimulus grants totaling about $1.5 million for teacher training and research projects. - 03/03/2010
Reshaping Michigan's universities
As U-M builds up, MSU cuts back
The University of Michigan and Michigan State University are separated by 60 miles and a few billion dollars. Both are public universities. Both have fiercely loyal alumni and are a few thousand apart in numbers of students. Yet MSU is enacting painful program cuts and layoffs, while U-M is adding staff and is in the midst of one of the biggest building booms in school history. The budget gap between the two schools has ballooned to almost a half-billion dollars per year and is growing. - 03/02/2010
Fundraiser: MSU must work smarter
East Lansing -- Robert Groves may be the Biggest Man on Campus you've never heard of. As fundraising guru at the University of Michigan, Groves ran the most successful capital campaign in a public university's history, raking in $3.1 billion. In fall 2008, MSU swooped in and hired Groves, hoping he could work the same magic in East Lansing. - 03/02/2010
Program cuts in '07 haunt WSU
Detroit -- Talk to Frank Koscielski about Wayne State University's decision to ax his academic department two years ago, and the bitterness is still raw. - 03/02/2010
Universities: Cuts could be 'devastating'
Livonia -- Three universities touted the importance of its University Research Corridor, a research and development alliance, while testifying today before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education at Madonna University. - 03/02/2010
