¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý

Despite the fact that New Jersey boasts a higher per-pupil expenditure in public education than any other state in the country, many of the public schools across the state are failing to provide the quality education students need to succeed today. This is particularly true in low-income cities like Camden, Trenton and Newark, where high school graduation rates fall well below the state average. Concerned with the data coming out of his school districts, Governor Chris Christie promised to make 2011 the year of education reform. His first legislative victory to that end will go into effect in 2012, allowing non-profit organizations to construct new schools in failing areas of the state.

The Urban Hope Act

The recent bill signed by Governor Christie, known as the “Urban Hope Act,� is a 10-year pilot program that allows non-profits to build and run schools in low-income areas of the state. According to a report at , these schools, referred to as “renaissance schools,� will be located in the cities of Trenton, Newark and Camden � currently classified as some of the poorest cities in the country. Groups interested in taking on a school construction project may apply through local school boards first and then through the state department of education. As many as four schools in each city will be allowed.

“This is an innovative idea that allows us to partner with folks who will bring capital to the table to build these schools,�

Corruption charges have been filed against four San Diego public school officials and one contractor in the largest corruption investigation in the recent history of this beach city. The investigation was prompted by allegations of bribes taken by public school trustees and one superintendent, and it uncovered widespread corruption in what the San Diego district attorney referred to as a “pay for play� culture. Current charges may not be the only ones filed, since the DA has revealed the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.

Defendants Associated with San Diego ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓýs

According to a report at the , charges have been filed against Arlie Ricasa, Pearl Quinones, Greg Sandoval, Jesus Gandara, and Henry Amigable. Ricasa and Quinones are both Union High School Trustees that serve on the school board. Gandara is the former superintendent of the San Diego School District, who was fired from his post last June after receiving a $400,000 payout from the school system. Sandoval is also a former school board member. Amigable is a construction contractor, who worked for Sweetwater and Southwestern College, as well as securing contracts from the San Diego ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý system.

According to a report at , school officials charged in the probe racked up hundreds of dollars in lavish gifts provided by Amigable between 2008 and last year. Gifts included restaurant tabs, as well as airline, concert, and theatre tickets. Tickets to the Lakers� playoff games and the Rose

When Kansas City ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓýs lost their accreditation in September, many predicted that when that decision went into effect on January 1, 2012, there would be a mass exodus of students from Kansas City ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓýs to neighboring school districts. While this prediction is shaping up to be somewhat accurate, some surrounding suburban school districts are taking measures to keep student transfers to a manageable number. For five school districts, court action may be required to ensure the changes coming to Missouri schools do not hit them where it hurts most â€� right in the pocketbook.

This video reports on the Kansas City ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓýs loss of accreditation in 2011.

Student Transfers: Who Pays?

Currently, Missouri law requires unaccredited districts to pay to send students to accredited districts nearby if the students request the transfer. However, according to a report in the , the cash-strapped Kansas City ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓýs district has admitted it cannot afford to pay for bus transportation for transfers outside the three closest school districts. The Kansas City Board of Education has not addressed the issue of tuition costs, leaving neighboring school districts wondering if they will get reimbursement for the additional students they are called upon to educate.

In addition, the district will not authorize transfers for students who have not attended a Kansas City ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý for at least two full

When the economy slowed to a nearly grinding halt a few short years ago, school districts across the country quickly felt the pinch. States were forced to slash budgets, leaving less funding for their schools and other public services. School districts had to come up with creative solutions to the financial challenges in an effort to meet the growing needs of students. Today, some school districts, like ones in Colorado, are getting tired of pinching their pennies, particularly in light of the fact that state governments may be sitting on much needed resources without allotting them appropriately. In fact, a number of Texas school districts have taken their state to court � in hopes of providing more and equitable funding to students throughout the Longhorn State.

A Lawsuit is Filed

The largest school districts in Texas recently filed a lawsuit against their state government, alleging the public school system in Texas is both inadequate and inequitable. This suit is the fourth of its kind filed against the state since June, 2011, when the legislature ended their session. This particular lawsuit, according to a report at the , includes more than 60 school districts that currently serve around 1.3 million Texas students. This brings the total litigation against the state to more than 500 Texas school districts, serving approximately 3.3 million children.

“We wish litigation weren’t necessary, but the nature of school finance just seems to be that you have this back-and-forth

Earlier this year, the Obama administration predicted that nearly 80 percent of all public schools nationwide would miss the benchmarks required by the No Child Left Behind Act by the end of 2011. Now that the numbers are in from the Center on Education Policy, the number of schools failing No Child Left Behind is considerably lower than original predictions. However, at a failure rate of almost 50 percent, there is still plenty of concern over what needs to be done to revamp NCLB to make it a more effective means of evaluating school performance across the country.

What is No Child Left Behind?

According to an article at , the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted in 2002 and has demonstrated “sweeping impact� in public schools across the country. This piece of legislation has been instrumental in determining what students would learn, the tests they would take, and the training teachers received. The original intent of the law was to hold all public schools to a national standard, so that students in all locations and from all demographics would receive the same quality education. Targets are established, and schools that meet the targets receive their maximum funding allowance, while schools that fail to make the grade may lose funding and even be subject to closure.

A report at explains that states are required to set proficiency goals, develop testing to accurately assess their progress toward those goals, and