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 9th 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                                                                                                                     

September 13, 2007

 

 

--MORE ALASKA DISTRICTS MAKE AYP, SAYS EED

--NSBA URGES U.S. HOUSE TO FOCUS CHANGES TO NCLB

--SPELLINGS TOURS NOME SCHOOLS

--SCHOOL OFFICIALS DISCREDIT COOKIE-CUTTER APPROACH

--ENROLLMENT DROP SURPISES ANCHORGE SCHOOL OFFICIALS

--SCHOOL BUS MERGER DEEMED A MONOPOLY

--TEACHER INCENTIVES DRAW CRITICISM

--SCHOOL DISTRICT, COAST GUARD AGREE TO PROMOTE VOLUNTEERS

--AASB REMINDS SCHOOL BOARDS OF SEPT. 28TH RESOLUTIONS DEADLINE

 

MORE ALASKA DISTRICTS MAKE AYP, SAYS EED

 Thirty of AlaskaŐs 54 school districts made adequate yearly progress for the 2006-07 school year under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, Alaska Education Commissioner Barbara Thompson announced today. That represents an improvement from 25 districts making adequate yearly progress in 2005-06 and 22 districts doing so in 2004-05. See full news release here:

http://www.eed.state.ak.us/news/district_AYP_2007.pdf

 

 

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NSBA URGES HOUSE COMMITTEE TO FOCUS CHANGES TO NCLB

 The National School Boards Association urged Congress to heed the lessons learning during implementation of NCLB and carefully consider how proposed changes will actually play out in schools across the country. Testifying Monday to the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, NSBA Associate Executive Director Michael Resnick said a draft bill proposed by Rep. George Miller of California moves toward greater flexibility under the law. See full news release here:

http://www.nsba.org/site/doc.asp?CID=90&DID=41536

 

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SPELLINGS TOURS NOME SCHOOLS

 Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings visited classrooms in Nome and was hosted by the community as she toured rural Alaska last week to assess how schools are coping with NCLB. See two stories on her visit here:

http://www.nomenugget.net/20070906/page04.pdf

 

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SCHOOL OFFICIALS DISCREDIT COOKIE-CUTTER APPROACH

 TheyŐll never record the act of installing a boat engine when Kodiak High School reports test scores under the No Child Left Behind Act. But the Board of Directors of the National School Boards Association, touring Kodiak last week, saw just how much students learned in a marine science class. See full story here:

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5183

 

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ENROLLMENT DROP SURPRISES ANCHORAGE SCHOOL OFFICIALS

 Fewer kids than expected enrolled in Anchorage public schools this fall, especially in elementary schools – where the gap between projected and actual numbers adds up to an entire grade school or more. District officials say they donŐt know where the kids went. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/9296165p-9210899c.html

 

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SCHOOL BUS MERGER DEEMED A MONOPOLY

 There may soon be a new school bus company transporting thousands of Anchorage students between home and class. First student, the company that presently provides rides for some 13,000 Anchorage-area kids, is in the process of selling its business. But itŐs a deal that federal regulators say creates a monopoly in Alaska. See full story here:

http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=7055101

 

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TEACHER INCENTIVES DRAW CRITICISM

 The tiny Port Protection School, isolated on the northern tip of Prince of Wales Island, did the best job of any school in Southeast Alaska last year, according to the state. The school, with 12 students, was one of only 10 rated ŇoutstandingÓ by state education officials. Now, the program that led to those rankings is coming under criticism. See full story here (may require registration: http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/090907/loc_20070909018.shtml

 

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SCHOOL DISTRICT, COAST GUARD AGREE TO PROMOTE VOLUNTEERS

 Juneau School District Superintendent Peggy Cowan and Rear Adm. Arthur Brooks, commander of the U.S. Guard 17th District, have signed a partnership agreement promoting more Coast Guard employee participation in JuneauŐs schools. See full news release here:

http://www.jsd.k12.ak.us/newdistrict/news/Coast%20Guard%20Schools%20Partnership.pdf

 

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AASB REMINDS SCHOOL BOARDS OF SEPT. 28TH DEADLINE ON RESOLUTIONS

 The Association of Alaska School Boards is reminding districts of the approaching deadline to submit resolutions for consideration at the AASB Annual Conference. The deadline for AASB to receive resolutions or amendments to existing resolutions is September 28th.  Per AASB bylaws, resolutions or amendments from districts must be approved by a formal vote of the school board.  So now is the time to schedule that discussion and vote.

 Packets containing the proposed resolutions for 2008 were distributed to all school districts on August 6th. The deadline for AASB to receive district comments on the resolutions was established as September 28th. All resolutions proposed by then will be distributed to each district 30 days prior to the Annual Conference, Nov. 8-11, at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel.

 If your superintendent or board has questions about the process, please contact John Greely at AASB, 586-1083, or jgreely@aasb.org

 

 

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Association of Alaska School Boards

 

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

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

Website: http://www.aasb.org