Higher Education Guardian

Amendment would create opportunities for people without high ...

2007-02-08T02:19:00.000-08:00

A proposed legislative amendment by the Cabinet would create opportunities for people with no high-school degree to pursue a college education. "As long as the applicant is above 25 years of age and has at least four years of working experience, he or she could qualify to take the college entrance exam," Cabinet spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (G) said at a press conference following the Cabinet's weekly meeting yesterday. The proposed amendment to the Supplementary and Continuing Education Law (ɲߤζiױШ|k) was inspired by the Swedish education system, in which a greater number of people have access to college-level education, Cheng said. The amendment will be submitted to the legislature for final approval next week, he said. Another proposed amendment to the law suggested that cram schools, with the exception of kindergartens, would be prohibited from taking in children below the age of six.

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EDUCATION High school scholars compete for trivia title

2007-02-06T02:21:00.000-08:00

The public is invited to the 20th Pender County Public Library Quiz Bowl at 4 p.m. Feb. 7 in the Public Meeting Room at 103 S. Cowan St., Burgaw. Teams from the Early College, Pender, Topsail and Trask Senior high schools are preparing for the annual competition. Come and compare your academic knowledge with our local high school scholars. Just remember, you are not allowed to say the answers out loud! For more information, call Ann Mendenhall at 259-1234 briefly Groundhog Job Shadow Day: Students across America get the chance to "shadow" a workplace mentor as he or she goes through a day on the job Feb. 2. Area businesses interested in hosting a student for a job shadow experience can call the following Career Development Coordinators: Colleen Pate, Pender Early College, 232-1759; Nancy Neill, Trask High School, 602-6810; and Dyann Rowell, Pender High School, 259-0162.

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High price tag main obstacle for black males' education

2007-02-02T02:20:00.000-08:00

College's high price tag - not poor outreach efforts or negative attitudes at Maryland colleges - is the primary barrier to black males' access to and success within the state's higher education institutions, officials and students said. Their comments came in response to a report presented to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents on Wednesday that found black men were the poorest performing demographic in Maryland's higher education system. According to the report, two major causes of underperformance are a widespread feeling reported by black men that they live on the fringe of the campus community and an attitude enforced by peers early on that education is uncool. But of all the reasons in the 58-page report, developed by 49 task force members and derived from the experiences of various students, the task force named the cost of attending college in Maryland as the major hurdle to academic well-being.

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State High Vision Holds Special Meeting With Education Secretary

2007-01-31T02:21:00.000-08:00

STATE COLLEGE -- A group opposed to the State College High School renovation plan took their concerns directly to the State Secretary of Education Monday. State High Vision members had a face-to-face meeting with secretary Gerald Zahorchak hoping to, once again, put a stop to the project. The group told Zahorchak that they believe the school district has failed to properly follow procedure with the renovation project by not doing a district-wide facilities study. According to Ron McGlaughlin, one of the there people at the meeting, they also expressed concern over what they say are a "lack of plans" for the south building. McGlauglin said the secretary promised to take a "direct look" at their concerns, however, he didn't give a specific time frame for when he would respond to them.

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Sino-UK education cooperation reaches new high

2007-01-29T02:22:00.000-08:00

Sino-UK education exchanges and cooperation reached a new high in 2006 with the Second Sino-UK Education Summit held in London last April and a series of agreements signed, a senior Chinese Embassy official said in London on Thursday. The agreements signed between the two countries included those on scholarship of excellence, the internship of Chinese students in UK, vocational and technical education cooperation, Wang Yongda, educational minister-counselor, said at a reception held by the Education Section of Chinese Embassy celebrating Chinese New Year which falls on Feb. 18. The counselor said that over 50 Chinese education delegations visited UK, learning the mechanisms of UK in facilitating education development, with all these benefiting China in developing its own education.

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Akoya Cultured Pearl 6.5-7.0mm Earrings w/ Diamond (.14ctw)

2007-01-23T02:34:00.000-08:00

These cultured pearl and diamond stud earrings are a timeless classic, an elegant and versatile addition to any woman's fine jewelry collection. They feature luminous Akoya cultured pearls, paired beautifully with round diamonds that hang down slightly below the ear in a prong setting, where they catch and reflect the light with every turn of the head. Akoya cultured pearls are known for their high quality and deep, beautiful luster. The pearls in these earrings can be expected to range between 6.5 and 7mm. They are well matched and have good luster with slight to medium spotting, which would be difficult to notice unless compared side-by-side with a flawless Akoya cultured pearl. A little more formal than classic pearl studs, these earrings are just right for evenings and special occasions. The earrings are set on posts of 18k yellow gold, the highest quality choice for gold jewelry because of its durability and its excellent color. Secure push back closures with tension rings hold the earrings in place.

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Oregon Department of Education to Review Public Survey Results on ...

2007-01-23T02:24:00.000-08:00

(SALEM) - The Oregon Department of Education will present the findings of an unprecedented public engagement process at the State Board meeting on Thursday. The results cover more than 5,000 responses from 300+ school and community meetings across the state on the details of the Board's proposal to increase Oregon's high school graduation requirements. The report also includes comments from more than 1,000 surveys filled out on the ODE website. In addition, the department received over 500 letters, emails, and meeting comments on the high school diploma changes. “I am very pleased with the incredible response we have received," Superintendent Susan Castillo said. “Everyone in the state was very engaged in the discussions, and I am confident that we have strong support as the State Board prepares to move forward on making Oregon's high schools ready for the demands of the 21st century." A summary of the feedback is below: Response to changes in the diploma was positive.

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Higher education has major role in high school reform movement

2007-01-21T02:23:00.000-08:00

FARMINGTON -- Regional universities and community colleges need to better define expectations for high school graduates.Once higher education does that, high schools can better prepare college-bound students, a national educator told local principals and superintendents Tuesday."Regional universities and community colleges need to be telling you what is considered college-ready in math and literacy," said Gene Bottoms, senior vice president of the Southern Regional Education Board.Arkansas is one of 16 member states in the Atlanta-based organization."Higher education has an obligation to make it clear what you need to know and to produce teachers who understand that," Bottoms told more than 100 administrators from schools in Benton, Washington and Madison counties, meeting at the Northwest Arkansas Education Services Cooperative."K-12 can't get kids ready until (higher education) gets its act together on math, writing and language arts," Bottoms said.

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Misir Merdanov: Both high education and academic degree will be ...

2007-01-19T02:25:00.000-08:00

We are going to submit proposals to the MM Science and Education commission", minister of education Misir Merdanov stated, APA reports. The law is satisfactory and will serve for the development of the education. Misir Merdanov said that both high education and academic degree will be two-staged. “Some say that the post-graduate course will be abolished. Two stages of the high education bachelor's degree and master's degree still remains. Academic degree means post-graduate course in the first stage and doctor's degree in the second. Main point remains though the names have been changed", the minister said. He said that a number of headmasters have been punished for negative actions in 2006. The works on the issue will be continued in 2007. Misir Merdanov also pointed out that it is necessary for bachelor's degree students to do their military service.

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Cal Grant 2007 Campaign: Education Beyond High School Financially ...

2007-01-17T02:26:00.000-08:00

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Student Aid Commission launched the official start of the 2007 Cal Grant application period today at Mission Bay High School, vowing to help boost the state's diminishing college entrance rates by getting more students to apply for financial aid and head to the state's post-secondary campuses and technical programs. Recent education trends in California show the state ranks 40th in the U.S. for high school students going directly to college. With nearly 400,000 California high school seniors in 2007, the new campaign is designed to aggressively raise awareness about the availability of Cal Grants as a financial aid option to low- and middle-income students and encourage students to apply by the March 2 Cal Grant deadline. The Cal Grant application window is January 1 - March 2.

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High school graduations 'can raise standards in education'

2007-01-15T02:28:00.000-08:00

A HEADTEACHER is urging Scottish ministers to consider adopting American-style graduations in a bid to raise standards in schools. The idea could see youngsters who fail to attain decent marks encouraged to re-sit their final year, and all youngsters who reach the standard attending a grand ceremony. .

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Student Lending Works Kicks Off Ohio-wide High School Lending and ...

2007-01-13T02:21:00.000-08:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Student Lending Works (www.StudentLendingWorks.org), the designated nonprofit provider of student loan products for the State of Ohio, has launched its High School Lending and Education Program geared at high school seniors in Ohio. To kick-off the launch, Student Lending Works is offering four scholarships to high school seniors from Ohio, each worth $1,500. All high school seniors from Ohio who will attend college within two years of graduation are eligible. High school seniors are encouraged to sign up at www.StudentLendingWorks.org. Throughout the campaign, Student Lending Works will host in school events and financial workshops geared towards educating students, parents and guidance counselors about what options are available when paying for college, how to manage debt and consolidate student loans, and the importance of why they should begin managing their debt now instead of later.

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University of Phoenix parent ventures into online high school ...

2007-01-11T02:22:00.000-08:00

Apollo Group Inc. Wednesday announced the acquisition of Insight Schools, marking the Phoenix company's move into online high school education. The purchase price was not disclosed. Insight Schools, based in Portland, Ore., launched its first school in September with more than 600 full-time students. Insight School of Washington is a statewide, online public alternative high school and as a public school is tuition-free to students living in the state. .

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Granville education board agrees on name for new high school

2007-01-09T02:29:00.000-08:00

In a special meeting on Monday night, the Granville County Board of Education named the new high school. Other names considered were Tar River High School and Belltown High School. Both were turned down by a majority of the board. The Granville Central High School is scheduled to open next fall for the 2007-2008 school year. The attendance area was determined earlier this fall. Parents of eighth and ninth grade students in the new school's attendance area will be notified by mid-January of their children's assignment for 2007-2008. Assignments will be finalized by early March. Students who have siblings attending J. F. Webb High School or South Granville High School will have a choice, however. Recognizing that some parents would prefer to have all of their children attending the same school, the board voted to allow students to apply for transfers if they have siblings in the 10th or 11th grade in one of the other high schools.

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Answer to high homicide rate lies in education

2007-01-07T02:28:00.000-08:00

My comment is in reference to the Jan. 30 editorial "As deadly year ends, let's find answers.'' As a concerned citizen I know the answer lies in education. This has been proven over and over again. Education brings more opportunities and a self-awareness of one's talents, skills, gifts, confidence and self-esteem. Until we as a society educate every person without excuses, we will continue to get the same results mentioned in your editorial. Education, education and more education. .

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State ranks high in education survey

2007-01-05T02:29:00.000-08:00

Vermont public school students perform near the top nationally and have a relatively good chance of succeeding in life, according to a state-by-state ranking published this week. The Education Week Quality Counts survey put Vermont at No. 3 for academic achievement, behind No. 2 New Jersey and Massachusetts in the top spot. Vermont was ninth among states on a chance-for-success index that measured demographic, economic and education attainment indicators. Virginia was No. 1 on the success meter and New Mexico was last. Vermont Education Commissioner Richard Cate said he was pleased with the Vermont results, especially the success predictor. "I think it indicates that we have been and continue to be poised to have a very successful population, a successful work force, all those things -- in terms of the people that are coming out of our education system and just society generally." The rankings came out during opening week of a Vermont legislative session where school spending and school funding are expected to be hot topics.

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Benguela: Over 200 Students Conclude High Education

2007-01-03T02:31:00.000-08:00

Benguela, 12/21 - About 249 students of geography/history and mathematics/physics specialities finalised successfully in the High Normal Education Institute (IMNE) in Cubal municipality, coastal Benguela province in the current year. From this number, 183 students attended geography/history speciality, while the remaining 66 concluded mathematics/physics. The director of the institution, Francisco Jos, who was speaking at the year-end ceremony, said that with the conclusion of the high course the finalists are open to the job market, as teachers that will contribute to education system in the region. .

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Parker High, Brighton contract top education stories in '06

2006-12-30T02:24:00.000-08:00

Livingston County's two largest school districts grabbed most of the headlines in 2006, with many of the issues occurring outside the classroom. In Howell, the opening of Parker High School in Marion Township was complicated by a shortage of funds. Not only did officials in the Howell Public Schools district deal with a new high school, they also had to continue navigating through the murky waters of diversity issues. .

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END-OF-COURSE EXAMS CAN IMPROVE TEXANS' HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION

2006-12-28T02:26:00.000-08:00

Texas should replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test with a series of end-of-course exams in math, science, social studies and language arts in each grade of high school, says Brooke Dollens Terry, an education policy analyst at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. End-of-course exams are statewide finals given at the end of each course to provide an in-depth measure of comprehension and skill attainment. As a result, educators can evaluate subject mastery, determine if the student is ready for the next level of the course, and more accurately measure student progress. Most importantly, end-of-course exams can diagnose weaknesses in academic curriculum and teaching before it is too late. Research shows that end-of-course exams increase academic standards and student achievement, says Terry: Researcher John Bishop found that students in both New York and North Carolina, states with end-of-course exams, are about half a grade level ahead in math and science and almost two-thirds of a grade level ahead in reading among comparable students without such exams.

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Undervalued currencies, subsidies, education, high IQs and more

2006-12-26T02:26:00.000-08:00

Undervalued currencies are an advantage for countries that want to export more. When the currency of a country has scarce value, then, all that a country produces will be cheaper than it should be. It fosters exports. Many foreign companies can move to that country too in search of cheaper land and a cheaper workforce. A cheaper currency limits the imports of a country, then, giving the national companies an advantage over foreign competitors. If you add to this a huge supply of workers, subsidies and tariffs, then, you have a great advantage over your competitors. Educate the population, enroll a high number of young people in engineering faculties and you will get even better results. If the population has already a relatively high IQ, then, the results will be incredible !! Then, if you do not have a population whose median age is as high as that of Europe or United States, then, the expenditures related with Social Security will be relatively small.

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Education figures high on government agenda

2006-12-17T02:27:00.000-08:00

H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, stressed the vital need for developing and modernising academic, technological and vocational education build qualified generations capable of holding posts in all specialisations. Sheikh Mohammed said modernisation of all levels of education would meet requirements of labour market from national highly qualified cadres. Sheikh Mohammed made his remarks yesterdy during a surprise inspection visit to the Ministry of Education in Dubai where he was briefed by the Minister Dr. Hanif Hassan on plans for development and modernisation being carried out by the ministry. Sheikh Mohammed, who was accompanied by Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Al Qarqawi, exchanged views with top educators on the importance of benefiting from experiments of scientifically advanced countries and customizing them to the nature of local community and requirements of development.

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New US Department Of Education Guide Showcases Charter High ...

2006-12-15T02:25:00.000-08:00

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Education has released a new publication that highlights eight charter high schools that are using innovative methods to help close the achievement gap between low-income, minority, and special need students and their peers. Produced under the auspices of the Department's Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII), Innovations in Education guide, Charter High Schools Closing the Achievement Gap focuses on schools that are bringing a new consciousness to the challenge of raising the achievement of traditionally underserved student populations at the secondary level. "By trying out innovative new strategies, these schools are blazing a trail for others to follow," said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. "They're dispelling the myth that some students can not learn and proving that if we raise the academic achievement bar, our students will rise to the challenge." For instance, the Media Technology Charter High School (MATCH) in Boston, MA, requires all incoming freshmen to start with a five-week summer academy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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High-schoolers in Arizona may face added math

2006-12-13T02:28:00.000-08:00

Listen up, high school arithme-phobes: Your days of graduating after sliding by on just a couple of years of math could be numbered. Emphasizing that sophisticated math skills are essential to survival in the 21st century, a high-level advisory panel to Gov. Janet Napolitano recommended Tuesday that Arizona students take at least three years of math before graduating. By 2012, that would increase to four years, twice the current two-year minimum. .

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Lakers fill void left by Bryant

2006-12-09T02:27:00.000-08:00

But for the Lakers, the decision by Kobe Bryant not to play because of a sprained right ankle was an opportunity for other players to again demonstrate they are more than a mere supporting cast, able to survive and even prosper without their superstar. That the Lakers did, beating the Hawks, 106-95. Three players in particular took advantage of their opportunity. Luke Walton (25 points), Maurice Evans (22) and Jordan Farmar (15) each had a career high in points on a night when the Lakers shot 55.7% from the field. Bryant was injured Monday night when he came down on the right foot of Jeff Foster of the Indiana Pacers, suffering an injury that was diagnosed as a moderate sprain. Bryant did not return that night, but he did play Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets, operating by his own admission at 50% efficiency and scoring 24 points.

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College of Education prepares students to teach in high-tech ...

2006-12-07T02:29:00.000-08:00

Today's elementary and secondary school classrooms are increasingly equipped with technology that allows teachers to engage students in active learning. Imagine a fourth-grade class studying the states of matter. Students once would have just read the material in a textbook. They might also have seen a film on the subject or their teacher could have shown illustrations on an overhead projector. The scene in today's high-tech classroom is much different. The teacher uses PowerPoint software to give a dynamic slide show that includes sound and video. During the presentation, she accesses the Web to show the students an animated clip of how molecules behave differently in solids, liquids and gases. Then she shows a slide with three different molecule structures and asks a student to identify the one that represents a solid.

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WEEKEND TEST-TAKING OPTION FOR CA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

2006-12-03T02:26:00.000-08:00

While today may not have been the first time some Bay Area high school students took the California High School Exit Exam, it was their first time taking the test on a weekend. According to Hilary McLean, press secretary for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell, about 140 California high school districts offered students a chance to take the English-language arts portion of the exit exam today and will give them a chance to take the mathematics portion of the test next Saturday. "Typically it's offered two consecutive (weekdays), but because of the Saturday administration, they are spreading it out over two weekends,'' McLean said today. Students do not have to attend both Saturday test sessions if they have already passed one portion of the test, according to McLean.

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KU donates 18 new computers to Schlagle High for career work

2006-11-27T02:31:00.000-08:00

Students at F.L. Schlagle High School will have an expanded opportunity to do research on careers and potential college destinations with the arrival of new computers from the University of Kansas.Officials from the university and Schlagle High School hosted a ceremony last week in the school's library to mark the occasion.The school received 18 new computers from the university as part as the KU GEAR UP program, which targets building relationships with individual schools. The mission of the program is " to ensure that students in the 6-12 grade who reside in Kansas City, Kansas Public housing are prepared for, pursue, and succeed in post secondary education."Rick Ginsberg, dean of the University of Kansas' School of Education, said the program has been important for both sides."This is a great partnership for us," he said.

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Test phobia grips Harbor High students

2006-11-25T02:27:00.000-08:00

Every school district in the state has had problems getting its sophomores to pass the Washington Assessment of Student Learning test. Starting with the Class of 2008 —sophomores last year — it's a graduation requirement. Less than 60 percent of that group has the WASL under its belt.Harbor High School, an alternative school in Aberdeen, has a problem just getting its students to take the test in the first place — never mind getting high scores.For the past two years, the school has been in "school improvement," a status in which it is deemed by the federal government as failing. The school has to show improvement in the WASL tests in order to prove it isn't falling down on the job. If 95 percent of its sophomores don't take the WASL next year, the school won't just miss that opportunity — it will slide down into "Step Three," where it has to begin assessing changes to the curriculum and staff.The No Child Left Behind Act and the WASL require the alternative high school to be measured by the same yardstick as every other high school in the state in order to qualify for federal money, and some district and school officials are concerned that it isn't completely fair.

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Chinese president high on rhetoric, low on substance

2006-11-23T02:22:00.000-08:00

NEW DELHI: China's unease over India's growing strategic ties with the US came to the fore on Wednesday when Chinese president Hu Jintao sought India's support for a multi-polar world. President Hu, in a keynote address at Vigyan Bhawan, stressed on the need for a multi-polar world and a "more equitable'' and "fairer'' political and economic order in an obvious reference to the US' superpower status. "We should promote multi-polarity in the world and democracy in international relations and democracy in international relations and work to make the international political and economic order fairer,'' said Mr Hu. In another reference to a multi-polar world, Mr Hu emphasised that both China and India face "rare development opportunities'' in a world moving towards multi-polarity and growing economic globalisation,In a speech peppered with reassurances on all the irritants in Sino-India ties, Mr Hu also sought to allay apprehensions in India on his country's close ties with Pakistan.

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West Boca High could lose state money

2006-11-21T02:21:00.000-08:00

Despite an overall county student enrollment decline, West Boca Raton Community High School is over enrollment. This may in turn mean West Boca High is in violation of the state’s class reduction law, and technically overcrowded. That could in turn mean fewer dollars for the district. The law states that the student to teacher ratio should be: 18-1 in grades pre-kindergarten through third; 22-1 in grades four through eight; and 25-1 in grades nine through twelve. West Boca High principal Fran Giblin said the school just missed the requirement at 25.1. "We are over one-tenth," Giblin said. "They can’t give me one-tenth of a teacher." Giblin thought the school had met the state requirement. However, 12 new students registered late. "That’s what put us over," Giblin said.

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Florida's Meyer holds Schembechler in high praise

2006-11-19T02:22:00.000-08:00

Florida's coach was an Ohio State graduate assistant in 1986-87 when Michigan legend Bo Schembechler was still coaching at Ann Arbor. On Saturday, Meyer reflected on the death of Schembechler, 77, whom he considers one of the top-three most influential coaches of his lifetime, along with Earl Bruce and Lou Holtz. ``Where is his place in history? I think he's the greatest coach of all time,'' Meyer said. A native of Ashtabula, Ohio, Meyer grew up well aware of who Schembechler was. Before coaching Michigan, Schembechler played under Woody Hayes at Miami of Ohio. Schembechler then became an Ohio State graduate assistant after Hayes took over as the Buckeyes' head coach. ``He was one of the first coaches that really got into people's lives,'' Meyer said.

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Prep program supplements science education for local high school ...

2006-11-17T02:26:00.000-08:00

This is the question Matthew Dallos '07 posed to a small group of high school students on a Saturday morning in Barus and Holley two weeks ago before going on to explain how the brain interprets what someone sees, such as colors, in different ways depending on the surrounding environment. Dallos is a mentor through the Brown Science Prep program, an optional program for ninth and 10th graders at Hope and Times-Squared high schools, which he coordinates through the Swearer Center for Public Service. The BSP aims to build on students' science educations through hands-on activities and projects. In 1995, the BSP replaced the Pre-College Enrichment Science Program, which catered to high school students throughout the Providence Public School District. Unlike P-CEP Science, the BSP was designed to build closer partnerships with a few nearby schools, Dallos said.

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Redesigning state high schools

2006-11-15T02:24:00.000-08:00

SANTA FE — The "model" high school would be one where students are challenged and engaged; curriculum meets students' individualized needs and is relevant; and there is great flexibility in both schedule and pace. That was the conclusion of a 25-member team of education and business leaders, who looked at "redesigning" high schools in New Mexico and presented their findings Tuesday to the Legislative Education Study Committee. Larry Langley, president and CEO of the New Mexico Business Roundtable for Educational Excellence, said House Education Committee Chairman Rick Miera, D-Albuquerque, came to him in April and asked for the business community's input on needed changes at the high school level. "Those of us in the business community don't always know the nuts and bolts of education.

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Councils fail 'high-risk' checks

2006-11-13T02:53:00.000-08:00

Less than half the councils in Wales are carrying out all the food hygiene inspections they should undertake at 'high-risk' premises like takeaways, it has been revealed. Last night an MP and AM said it was 'beyond belief' that after last year's serious E.coli outbreak in South Wales, in which a five-year-old boy died, some councils were still not carrying out their statutory responsibility to carry out inspections. Figures released by the Local Government Data Unit Wales show how all the councils are performing across a range of services. Included in the data is the revelation that only nine out of the 22 local authorities performed 100% of the food inspections - Isle of Anglesey, Wrexham, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Vale of Glamorgan, Caerphilly, Torfaen and Monmouthshire.

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Policy changes to challenge students in every grade of high school

2006-11-11T02:53:00.000-08:00

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - High school seniors in West Virginia won't be allowed to coast through their last year under tough new standards approved Thursday by the state school board. The changes are expected to take effect in the 2008-2009 school year. Stan Hopkins, an assistant superintendent who worked on the policy changes, says the new standards are in line with other state policies and recommendations from the Southern Regional Education Board. While the number of minutes in the classroom hasn't changed, the revised policy calls for specific coursework and makes stricter rules about what can qualify for high school credits. For example, while four years of science have always been required, now students will be required to take physical sciences, biology and chemistry sequentially in the first three years.

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HEFCE to provide an additional £75m to support very high cost and ...

2006-11-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

The Higher Education Funding Council for England is to provide £75 million in additional funding to support very high cost science subjects, which are strategically important to the economy and society but vulnerable because of relatively low student demand. The funding over three years from 2007-08 will support chemistry; physics; chemical engineering; and mineral, metallurgy and materials engineering – to help maintain provision in these subjects in universities and colleges while demand from students grows. Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive, told HEFCE's annual meeting: ‘This funding brings the support that HEFCE is giving to strategically important and vulnerable subjects to nearly a quarter of a billion pounds by 2010. As we reported to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills last month, we are already implementing a £160 million programme of work.

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College Presidents High On The Hog

2006-11-05T02:21:00.000-08:00

Anybody having a few problems paying off student loans will feel better after getting acquainted with Vanderbilt University's chancellor, E. Gordon Gee. Mr. Gee gets paid $1.4 million a year for doing his chancellorizing. That does not completely cover Gee's compensation "package," as they like to call it when a person's pay begins to nose up into the stratosphere. It does not include the $6 million spent to spruce up his official residence. Nor does it include what it costs to provide Gee with a private chef, entertaining expenses and other what-nots essential to his work, which runs to the tune of $700,000 per annum. If you think that publication of these figures has put Gee's job in jeopardy, you are dead wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gee is in the best of odors with his board of trustees.

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Education: Graduate Rahway High School

2006-11-03T02:42:00.000-08:00

1) High Property Taxes Property taxes are probably the worst way to fund local government services, but until state lawmakers change things we are stuck with this unfair system. For ten years, we had stable taxes and in five of those years, we scaled back tax rates in the city budget. As the bill comes due for Christine Todd Whitmans Enron-style pension scheme and since rising costs for health insurance, utility bills and the Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority are beyond local control, city council had few choices. Our opponents dont offer any alternatives and they do not to understand how the city works, so there is little hope they could improve upon our record. Solution: Although we experienced a recent surge due to factors beyond out control, such as state-imposed, pension expenses, Rahway Valley Sewage Authority improvements, and contributions for employee health insurance; keeping taxes stable remains a high priority for our administration.

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Gallagher opposed Bethel High project

2006-10-30T02:30:00.000-08:00

During the Rally to Fix BHS, I had the pleasure of meeting a great many new people. One man was videotaping the event. I asked if he was with the media. His response was, "No, I thought it was important to document this event. I graduated from BHS in 1994, and there were rumors at the time that the school was going to be placed on probation. I am amazed that almost 13 years later nothing has been done." With the Nov. 7 election just around the corner, people voting for state representative in the 2nd Assembly District should take some things into consideration. Candidate Phil Gallagher has served the town of Bethel as a selectman and a Board of Finance member during the mentioned 13 years. He has negatively suggested (letter, June 6, 2004, "Do what is best for Bethel High") that the BHS renovation project "needs a NO vote on June 15." In this same letter, he also suggested "the so-called accreditation issue has been used to scare parents into supporting proposals." Well, the June 15, 2004 vote went convincingly in favor of a $25.3 million BHS renovation, and the high school is on probation with NEASC (one of only five schools in Connecticut and the only school from Fairfield County).

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high schools shirking vital subjects

2006-10-26T03:18:00.000-07:00

At least 65 high schools in 11 prefectures have failed to provide their students with all compulsory subjects, according to the results of a Yomiuri Shimbun survey. At least 8,700 students will be required to take extra classes to graduate. Many of these schools, which are deemed to be elite high schools, have submitted to prefectural boards of education falsified reports stating they had provided students with all compulsory subjects. The Education, Science and Technology Ministry ordered prefectural boards of education Wednesday to confirm whether public high schools were teaching their students compulsory subjects as stipulated in the official curriculum guidelines and report the results to the ministry by Friday. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun survey, 29 schools in Iwate Prefecture, 12 in Yamagata Prefecture, 10 in Fukushima Prefecture, five in Fukui Prefecture and two in Aomori and Tochigi prefectures failed to abide by the guidelines.

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Universities, college to give high schoolers a head start

2006-10-25T05:40:00.001-07:00

More college-level programs will be brought to county schools under an agreement signed by the University System of Maryland, Montgomery College and the county school system last week. The goal is to increase the number of high school students taking college-level courses, especially those in underrepresented groups. The partnership is also intended to ease the transition to college. State university system Chancellor William E. Kirwan, Montgomery College President Charlene R. Nunley and county schools Superintendent Jerry D. Weast signed the agreement at Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville. Wootton and three other high schools — Gaithersburg, John F. Kennedy in Silver Spring and Seneca Valley in Germantown — already offer the College Institute program. Montgomery College professors bring their courses to the schools; students earn college credit before leaving high school.

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Middle school almost certain at Hauser Jr. High

2006-10-25T05:40:00.000-07:00

Riverside Elementary School District 96 administrators received the go-ahead at the Oct. 17 school board meeting to further investigate adopting a middle school format at L.J. Hauser Junior High School, following the positive recommendation of a district study group that has investigated the model since January. At a meeting of the board's Education Committee, also on Oct. 17, board member and committee Chairwoman Nancy Jensen said that while the group supported the idea of turning Hauser into a middle school, the district is not yet in a position to make a final decision on the matter. First, she said, they would have to gather more information on how the transition could be made. "After being a part of this study, my feeling was that being a middle school can only add to the experiences our kids can have at Hauser," she said.

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Athletes for sale to high bidder

2006-10-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

As student groups across the country enter a fifth year of vehemently protesting the war in Afghanistan, Canadian Interuniversity Sport has decided to sell its athletes to the Armed Forces for the bargain price of $500,000. By the end of the month, the Canadian military will have a major advertising and recruitment presence at every CIS national event. To date, the armed forces had no clear way to specifically target the roughly 10,000 university athletes who compete countrywide a major military problem considering these educated and athletic individuals are exactly the type the army desperately needs to fill vacant officer positions. Now, as CIS officials dream of shinier court floors, better manicured football fields and the latest in sound system technology, theyve offered up the one commodity that they can to earn some extra cash.

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Students at 5 Iwate high schools not taking enough subjects

2006-10-25T05:38:00.001-07:00

MORIOKA -- Students at five high schools in Iwate Prefecture are not taking the lessons necessary to earn the credits they need for graduation, it emerged Wednesday. The discovery follows reports of a similar problem at Takaoka Minami High School in Toyama Prefecture. There is a possibility that further investigations could uncover more schools in the same situation. Iwate Prefectural Education Board officials said that under official curriculum guidelines, world history is compulsory. Furthermore, students must study either Japanese history or geography. However, at one high school in Morioka, a total of 192 students in the third year were taking only one subject. Because of this, they reportedly face the possibility of not being able to graduate. Education officials are questioning schools over why the students are not taking the required subjects.

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High textbook prices weigh down students

2006-10-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

It's a question that arises at the beginning of every semester, and with the start of every new class: why are textbooks so expensive, specifically at Broad Street Books? According to a survey conducted by the State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) of California and Oregon, students spent an average of $898 on new and used textbooks during the 2003-2004 academic year. "Textbooks are expensive and valuable," said Ben Brown, textbook manager at Broad Street Books. "Everyone takes a cut. Students get what they pay for." The National Association of College Stores publicly advertises exactly what students are paying every year. According to this organization, the "textbook dollar" for 2003-2004 was broken down into the following percentages: 65.8 for publisher's expenses, including materials, editing, administrative and marketing costs; 11.8 for author's income; 1.0 for freight expenses; 17.3 for college store personnel and store operations; and 4.1 for college store income before taxes.

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Mapoka: Home of high fliers

2006-10-25T05:37:00.001-07:00

MAPOKA - Mapoka managed to maintain an upward trend in education because of the good traditional leadership which embraced education as early as 1900. The Chief Justice, Mr Julian Nganunu, said at Mapoka Primary Schools centenary celebration on Saturday that dikgosi mobilised their communities and made them contribute towards Mapoka Primary School, which has produced the human resource for Botswana. He said it was a struggle during those times when people built classrooms and teachers houses but they carried the spirit of self reliance because their dikgosi highly motivated them. He said by then, the Mapoka community did not tolerate teachers who were not good, as they were tossed out of the school, after being given the necessary advice. He said Mapoka Primary School always had an endeavour to have a representative in the national soccer team, and they have had such representation ever since, citing Amos Ernest, who plays for the Zebras, and the late Director Chikumbudzi.

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Request from Daphne High considered

2006-10-25T05:37:00.000-07:00

BAY MINETTE-- Officials representing Daphne High School came before the Baldwin County Commission on Tuesday seeking funding for a portion of a nearly $3.3 million project to improve the stadium. While commissioners said the request should go to the county finance committee and be discussed at the next joint work session between the Board of Education and the commission, they didn't indicate whether they would support it, or how much they might be willing to contribute. A formal date has not been set for a second joint work session between the commission and the school board, according to Terry Wilhite, spokesman for the Baldwin County Public Schools system. Wilhite wasn't present at the meeting. Daphne Mayor Fred Small, DHS Principal Don Blanchard and Bill Stringer, president of the Trojans Quarterback Club, spoke at the commission's work session in Bay Minette seeking funding to cover a more than $1 million funding shortfall for the stadium's improvements.

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D209 high school administrator resigns

2006-10-25T05:36:00.000-07:00

Robert Libka, assistant superintendent at the Proviso township high school district, submitted his resignation to the District 209 Board of Education. In his Oct. 5 letter, Libka makes no reference to allegations of questionable spending practices that may have occurred during his tenure as an interim superintendent and chief education officer. Libka cites a desire to become a full-time superintendent as the reason for his resignation. "This past year has been a terrific blessing to me personally, I am indebted to you, the board, for the opportunity to lead our schools, develop external partnerships, introduce new initiatives and grow personally," Libka said in his letter. However, newly hired Superintendent Stan Fields said he learned of personal expenses billed to the district by Libka.

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