Association of Alaska School Boards

E-NEWS

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A weekly digest of education news for Alaska's School Board Members.

Association of Alaska School Boards, 1111 West 9^th St., Juneau, AK 99801. Tel.

907-586-1083, Fax 907-586-2995. Carl Rose, Executive Director,

crose@aasb.org: John Greely, Editor, jgreely@aasb.org. Review past issues of

the E-News on the AASB Website at <http://www.aasb.org>. To unsubscribe send an email stating the same to jgreely@aasb.org.

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Sponsored by Alaska Public Entity Insurance Co. <http://www.akpei.com>

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AASB E-News

April 26, 2007

--SCHOOL REFORM: A MAJOR ’08 PITCH

--COURT RULES AGAINST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN IMPACT AID CASE

--NUTRITION STANDARDS URGED FOR SCHOOL FOOD

--RURAL ENERGY COSTS SOARING

--EXTENSIVE CUTS COULD LOOM FOR SCHOOLS

--MUSIC TEACHER WINS NATIONAL TEACHER OF YEAR

SCHOOL REFORM: A MAJOR ’08 PITCH

Former Gov. Roy Romer will lead a $60 million nonpartisan campaign to hurtle education to the top of the presidential-election agenda, an unprecedented push for major school reform on a federal scale. Philanthropists Bill Gates and Eli Broad announced this week that they will fund “Ed in ‘08” – a force of “public awareness and action” with “troops” in up to a dozen states and an interactive website to mobilize the public. See full story here:

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_5751925

For a closer look at the Ed in ’08 website, click here:

http://www.edin08.com/

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COURT RULES AGAINST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN IMPACT AID CASE
New Mexico, Kansas and Alaska are the only sates with equalization formulas, which can limit state funds due to federal impact aid grants. On April 17, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to reject a lawsuit by two school districts in New Mexico that claimed they were deprived of $20 million a year for their students. Click here for an analysis of the ruling:

http://docket.medill.northwestern.edu/archives/003885.php

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NUTRITION STANDARDS URGED FOR SCHOOL FOOD

Millions of children soon could be saying goodbye to regular colas, candy and salty snacks during school hours. Concerned about the rise of obesity in young people, Congress asked the Institute of Medicine to develop a set of standards for foods that would be available in schools. The recommendations are now out. See full story here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18308679/

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RURAL ENERGY COSTS SOARING

Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Jim Whitaker asked how many people in the standing-room only crowd of the 2007 Alaska Rural Energy Conference were from rural Alaska. Nearly half raised their hands. “You have a problem,” he said on the opening day of the conference at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. A student from the Institute of Social and Economic Research says that utility costs in rural Alaska have risen 50 percent since 2000, much faster than increases along the road system. See full story here:

http://newsminer.com/2007/04/25/6647

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EXTENSIVE CUTS COULD LOOM FOR SCHOOLS

Schools would be hard hit by proposed cuts in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough budget for the coming fiscal year. “The only program package that would be funded in whole is elementary schools,” said chief school administrator Bob Doyle. “None of the enhanced budgets would be funded” for middle and high schools. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/8825652p-8726572c.html

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MUSIC TEACHER WINS NATIONAL TEACHER OF YEAR

When Andrea Peterson landed her first teaching job, she faced the daunting task of creating a music program with almost no money for supplies in a climate where music was seen as just providing a break for students and teachers. Her creativity in overcoming those challenges is being honored with her recognition as national teacher of the year. She teaches in Granite Falls, Washington. See full story here:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/04/25/teacher.of.the.year.ap/index.htm

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Association of Alaska School Boards

1111 West 9^th Street, Juneau, Alaska 99801-1510 Tel. 907-586-1083

Fax 907-586-2995 Email: aasb@aasb.org

Website: http://www.aasb.org