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                                                                                                                     

November 1, 2007

 

 

--SEVEN ALASKA SCHOOLS LABELED ÔDROPOUT FACTORIESÕ

--SCHOOL DISTRICT REFUTES DUBIOUS ÔDROPOUT FACTORYÕ TITLE

--DILLINGHAM REPLIES TO DROPOUT STUDY

--CALCULATING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES

--STATE BOARD APPROVES WAIVERS FOR 24 SCHOOL DISTRICTS

--KODIAK BOARD TAKES STAND ON STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS

--STUDENT READY FOR ANNUAL EGG-TAKE

--FAIRBANKS SCHOOLS TO GIVE HPV VACCINATIONS

--YOUTH AWARD NOMINEE HELPS PEERS SPEAK UP

 

SEVEN ALASKA SCHOOLS LABELED ÔDROPOUT FACTORIESÕ

 Seven of AlaskaÕs 40 high schools – or more than 17 percent – have the dubious distinction of being Òdropout factories,Ó according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data published Monday.  A Òdropout factoryÓ designation goes to the school where 60 percent or less of the students who start as freshman advance to their senior year. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/9416734p-9329417c.html

 

SCHOOL DISTRICT REFUTES DUBIOUS ÔDROPOUT FACTORYÕ TITLE

 Last year, Ben Eielson Jr./Sr. High had the highest graduation rate of any high school in the Fairbanks school district – 81 percent with a 2 percent droput rate, according to figures calculated by the Alaska Department of Education. So local school officials were somewhat taken aback Tuesday when they found out Eielson had been classified as a Òdropout factoryÓ by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. See full story here:

http://newsminer.com/2007/10/31/9634

 

DILLINGHAM REPLIES TO DROPOUT STUDY

 Is Dillingham High School a dropout factory? Do 40 percent of our first year high school students really drop out? Hardly, and the confusion comes from misunderstanding dropout and graduation rates, says Superintendent Arnold Watland. See full story here:

http://boardbuzz.nsba.org/archives/025276.php#comments

 

CALCULATING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES

 As high schools move to the top of the reform agenda, educators have been scrutinizing one of the most significant indicators of a high schoolÕs performance: the rate of students who graduate. The attention is well-deserved. But while statisticians argue about whose numbers are best, stakeholders at the school and district level are left wondering how big the problem is, where the problem lies, and more importantly, what they can do to help fix it. The Center for Public Education offers a formula endorsed by all 50 states. See full story here:

http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/site/c.kjJXJ5MPIwE/b.1806639/k.C4FD/Ataglance_Calculating_high_school_graduation_rates.htm

 

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STATE BOARD APPROVES WAIVERS FOR 24 SCHOOL DISTRICTS

 The State Board of Education & Early Development, meeting in a teleconference Oct. 26, granted 24 school districts waivers from a state requirement to allot at least 70 percent of their operating budgets for instruction. The affected districts generally had an operating budget of $3 million or less or had operations and maintenance costs that totaled at least 20 percent of their operating budgets. See full news release here:

http://www.eed.state.ak.us/news/releases/2007/sb_approves_waivers_for_24_school_districts.pdf

 

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KODIAK BOARD TAKES STAND ON STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS

 The Kodiak Island Borough Board of Education took a political stand Monday, passing a resolution in support of school funding changes at the state level negotiated in August by a special task force of the Alaska Legislature. See full story here:

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5413

 

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STUDENTS READY FOR ANNUAL EGG TAKE

 The Alaska Department of Fish and Game kicks off the annual classroom salmon incubation program with an egg-take at the Buskin River in Kodiak. Students will collect and fertilize silver salmon eggs and watch them develop into smolt between now and next spring. See full story here:

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5420

 

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FAIRBANKS SCHOOLS TO GIVE HPV VACCINATIONS

 Nurses will provide information and free vaccinations against HPV during parent-teacher conferences in Fairbanks on Thursday. HPV is a common virus, often sexually transmitted, which can cause cervical cancer and genital warts. See full story here:

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=542

 

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YOUTH AWARD NOMINEE HELPS PEERS SPEAK UP

 When it comes to setting school policy, itÕs usually up to the school board or administration. But a new program designed to give students a voice is taking off in Alaska thanks to one Spirit of Youth Award nomineeÕs initiative. See full story here:

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=7235767

 

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