Laos Books

Texas was hit with another lawsuit challenging the state’s school funding system on Friday as 60 higher wealth school districts – now contributing more than $1 billion a year in “Robin Hood” payments – argued that the Legislature has failed to adequately fund public education. Three Dallas-area districts – Frisco, Lewisville and Richardson – are among the six plaintiff school districts that filed the suit, which also contends the funding system is predicated on an illegal statewide property tax rate that restricts how much they can raise through local property taxes. Among the other 54 districts that are helping finance the suit are several from North Texas, including Grapevine-Colleyville, Highland Park, Plano, Rockwall and Sunnyvale. “The Texas school finance system is in crisis again,” said Mark Trachtenberg, attorney for the school districts that are all members of the Texas School Coalition. “The current system does not meet the constitutional definition of adequacy and denies local districts the ability to address that inadequacy.

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Rivals.com has it’s own Top 100 poll, but each week, they put together a compilation of the national polls and give an all-encompassing number for each team. Miramar, no doubt brought down by a criminally-low National Prep Poll ranking (12), comes in at No. 6.

Rivals.com

I really liked Diana Senechal’s recent post over at Open Salon, “Bad Teachers or Bad Curriculum,” and I agree with much of her educational philosophy. However, there’s one little piece of the educational policy puzzle that seems to have fallen on the floor, kicked around a bit, and forgotten. Unfortunately, it’s a corner piece, and the picture isn’t ever going to be complete without it.

Enthusiasm.

I have had teachers who know their stuff, teachers who can recite the periodic table backward and forward all day long but hate having to teach those pesky students. I’ve had monotonous math teachers, wiling away their last two obligatory years before retirement, teachers who taught me more anecdotal lessons about beekeeping than the basics of Algebra II.

Fortunately, I have had more than my share of great teachers, teachers who truly love what they do. Teachers who,

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Bill Malone is retired – again. Friday was Malone’s final day with the Palm Beach County School District, after a remarkable, but brief tenure in the superintendent’s office.

In late October, Malone, 68, announced his retirement to a stunned and saddened education community. He had rave reviews for his nine months of service as Art Johnson’s successor.

The School Board has since appointed administrator Wayne Gent to manage the school district until a permanent superintendent arrives by June 1. A national search for the new leader is underway.

Before hitting the retirement trail back to his home near Gainesville, Malone had these parting words:

“Today is my last day with the District. This will be my last message to you all. It is doubtful that I will be able to receive any responses, much less to respond to them.

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A national curriculum provider named Moody High School’s Innovation Academy among the country’s top 16 model schools for engineering-based programming.

The school, which was among more than 4,200 eligible nationwide for this year’s award, is the lone Texas recipient, Project Lead The Way officials said.

Clifton Park, N.Y.-based, nonprofit curriculum provider Project Lead The Way supplies science, technology, engineering and math programming to schools, and the organization annually recognizes its top partner schools.

“What it’s really saying to us is that what’s happening at that school is extraordinary,” Corpus Christi Independent School District Superintendent Scott Elliff said.

He said Moody has many other programs, such as the Health Science Academy, that also contribute to the school’s exemplar reputation.

Moody has incorporated the organization’s curriculum since its Innovation Academy for Engineering, Environmental & Marine Science began five years ago, said Tina Dellinger, Moody’s dean of science, technology, engineering and math instruction and student services.

Dellinger said the national recognition acknowledges what Moody’s academy does well, and that is prepare students for college-level engineering programs.

Academy students take an introductory engineering class as freshmen and specialized programming such as aerospace, biotechnical and civil engineering courses through their senior year.

In their senior year, students take an engineering design and development course, Dellinger said.

Through Project Lead The Way’s existing partnerships with colleges and universities nationwide, many high school students graduating from schools using the organization’s curriculum can receive articulated college engineering credit, Dellinger said.

“They know that they have met a high level of rigor,” she said.