Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Education news in brief
The Detroit News education team keeps you up to date on issues impacting students in Michigan, from elementary through college.
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Education
- Girl shot dead after Calif. school football game - 06:01 AM
- China expands language institutes at US colleges - 07:26 AM
- Feds: Haiti abuse suspect sought boys while in US - 05:41 PM
- THE INFLUENCE GAME: Bill Gates' sway on ed policy - 08:23 AM
- Parents protest Hawaii school closures - 11:16 PM
Michigan
- State agencies could get 20% cut in next MI budget - 04:30 PM
- Western Michigan trustees back plan for med school - 09:46 PM
- Former preps coach to plead guilty to sex charges - 08:37 PM
- Judge throws out Detroit man's murder conviction - 07:30 PM
- Citizens Financial Group CEO says it won't be sold - 06:26 PM
Ranks of millionaire college presidents rises
The fast-growing group of millionaire private college and university presidents hit a new record in recent years, and it's likely more college leaders will make seven-figure salaries once the slumping economy rebounds. - 11/03/2009
Ex-engineer's mathematics add up
Riverview -- Tired of seeing his sons struggle in math, Nicholas Aggor decided there had to be another approach to learning. He analyzed a math textbook, causing the engineer-by-trade to rewrite it himself. His desire to help his own sons became a quest to help students everywhere. - 11/02/2009
Debate starts on school funds
Lansing -- With cuts of nearly $300 per student looming and some school districts looking at losing as much as $600 per student, think tanks, business groups and education advocates are calling for looking again at the way Michigan pays for public schools. - 11/02/2009
Obama community college proposal may not be enough
INDIANAPOLIS -- Arthur Call commutes three hours roundtrip to his anatomy class at community college because similar courses on campuses closer to his Indianapolis home are packed this semester. - 11/02/2009
Debate begins over paying for Michigan public schools
Lansing -- Fifteen years ago, Michigan changed the way it pays for public education, switching from local property taxes to a mix of sales and property taxes, lottery revenue and other money. - 10/31/2009
Michigan State proposes shutting 2 departments, cutting 40 programs
East Lansing -- Michigan State University has proposed eliminating 40 academic programs and shutting two departments in effort to save the university money. - 10/31/2009
Questions arise over DPS' $40M digital products contract
A $40 million contract with a book publishing company has resurrected concerns over Detroit Public Schools making business deals with former employers of its administrators. Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the district's chief academic and accountability officer, used to work for Harcourt School Publishers. - 10/30/2009
Michigan State proposes shutting 2 departments, cutting 40 programs
East Lansing -- Michigan State University has proposed eliminating 40 academic programs and shutting two departments in effort to save the university money. - 10/30/2009
DPS chief reappointed for second year
Bobb vows to 'finish what he started'
Detroit -- Detroit Public Schools faces serious challenges with finances, safety and academics, but Robert Bobb says he wants to finish what he started to improve the district by staying on as emergency financial manager for a second year. - 10/30/2009
States 'set bar too low' for students
Washington -- Many states declare students to have grade-level mastery of reading and math when they do not, the Education Department reported Thursday. - 10/30/2009
Granholm orders State Police to find money to continue bus safety inspections
School bus inspections across Michigan are coming to a halt. The final inspections will be held Saturday, when layoff notices given 11 vehicle safety inspectors become effective. - 10/30/2009
Witness: Board rarely interfered with CEO
Detroit -- During the state takeover of Detroit Public Schools, the appointed reform board didn't interfere with Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Burnley, including vetting construction projects, former members said Wednesday. - 10/29/2009
Conference focuses on faith-based units
Detroit -- Leaders and educators at some of the state's faith-based schools will meet today and Friday at Cobo Center for professional development. - 10/29/2009
DPS, teachers union extend contract
Detroit Public Schools and its teachers union have extended their contract until Nov. 21, unable to reach a new agreement before this weekend's expiration date. - 10/28/2009
Reform board had little authority over DPS projects, former member says
Detroit -- During the state takeover of Detroit Public Schools, the appointed reform board operated under a strong policy to not interfere with the duties of the Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Burnley, including vetting projects under the $1.5 billion school bond issue, a former reform board member said Wednesday. - 10/28/2009
Holly parent sues school district over religious flier ban
Detroit -- The mother of a Holly elementary school student filed a federal lawsuit against the school district today, alleging Holly Area Schools violated her son's constitutional rights when it barred him from distributing religious fliers at Patterson Elementary School. - 10/28/2009
MSU's research station faces ax
Lansing -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm might begin issuing her final line-item budget vetoes as soon as today, possibly eliminating state funding for the agricultural extension service run through Michigan State University. - 10/28/2009
Executive says he didn't know firm sold property to DPS for profit
Detroit -- The owner of a real estate brokerage firm hired by Detroit Public Schools to evaluate property for school construction said Tuesday he had no idea his firm bought property for the new Cass Tech High School and sold it to the district for a considerable profit. - 10/28/2009
Pontiac schools lose battle over No Child Left Behind
Pontiac -- The Pontiac Public School District lost the latest round in a lawsuit it filed against the No Child Left Behind Act. - 10/28/2009
Mount Clemens High School provides career skills
Mount Clemens -- Valerie King, 17, wants a career as a news anchor. And she's already getting experience writing, directing and anchoring for Mount Clemens High School's daily morning broadcast, "Bather Babble." - 10/28/2009
School board: Reduce cuts
Lansing -- The bipartisan State Board of Education on Monday urged Gov. Jennifer Granholm and lawmakers to find money to reduce cuts in public education and buy time for a long-term funding solution. - 10/27/2009
Detroit Public Schools' enrollment beats predictions
Detroit -- The Detroit Public Schools are seeing the benefits of efforts targeted at bringing more students back to the district. - 10/26/2009
East Detroit school board cuts its pay to finance Christmas party
Eastpointe -- School board members with East Detroit Public Schools are digging into their pockets to pay for the district's annual Christmas party. - 10/26/2009
Pinched metro Detroit schools reach out to voters
A gripping recession and the nation's highest unemployment rate isn't stopping a number of Metro Detroit school districts from asking voters on Nov. 3 to approve various millage and bond proposals to pay for everything from new roofs to computers. - 10/26/2009
Schools review aid cutbacks
How to deal with the latest state-ordered school aid cuts was a topic of concern Friday for the state's school districts, including the one attended by Gov. Jennifer Granholm's son. - 10/24/2009
Granholm slashes school funding by $212 million
Reeling public schools suffered another body blow Thursday when Gov. Jennifer Granholm ordered an additional cut of $127 per student. - 10/23/2009
Hearing probes DPS property spending
Detroit -- A Detroit Public Schools official said Thursday at a fact-finding hearing that the district's purchase of space in the Fisher Building for a new headquarters was a "grossly overpriced transaction." - 10/23/2009
U-M students can text campus police for help
Ann Arbor -- University of Michigan campus police say students now have the option to text them to report crimes in progress. - 10/23/2009
DPS looks deeper into real estate deals
A Detroit Public Schools official said today at a fact-finding hearing that while questions were raised about some of the district's real estate transactions, it was too far along in the process for him to be able to do much about it. - 10/22/2009
U-M awarded $6.8M in grants for stem cells
Detroit -- The University of Michigan has received 13 federal stimulus grants worth $6.8 million for stem cell research -- a sign of the state's growing clout since voters last year eased restrictions in the emerging field that seeks treatments and cures for numerous diseases. - 10/22/2009
Each year students in fifth through eighth grades compete in The Detroit News Regional Spelling Bee for the chance to represent their school and community in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Read more information about the bee in our special report.
