Get help, advice and information on all your Reference and Education issues. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/city.htm Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:22:41 GMT en There have been many instances over the past 20 years or so where people have been so unhappy about the schools that they have decided to step up and do something about it. In response to this discontent, charter schools have been formed. For many New York City Schools families, charters appear to be the way to go. Virtually anyone concerned with the state of New York City Schools can open a charter school. Parents, teachers, principals (whether they are from public New York City Schools or private ones), community leaders, philanthropists and nonprofit organizations are all examples of the types of folks who open charter schools in response to a perceived lack in quality public education. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/62587_New_York_City_Schools_Include_Charters.html Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:22:03 GMT The Menace of Sexual Harassment in Memphis Schools Mention the words sexual harassment and images of leering executives making lewd comments to or in the presence of co-workers or employees comes to mind. We tend to associate sexual harassment as an adult phenomenon; the kind that gets men and in rare cases women in deep trouble, or at the very least leaves them with a lighter wallet. We dont associate it with young students in schools. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/62568_Tackling_Sexual_Harassment_In_Memphis_City_Schools.html Thu, 27 Sep 2007 06:47:07 GMT Many people understand the importance of exposure to the arts. We love art; it is a necessary part of our society. In fact, for every culture and every society, art in some form or another is critical to how we live. For many, many years, arts programs have been cut in Oklahoma City Schools in efforts to divert funds to more pressing subject areas like reading and mathematics. While these are indeed necessary subjects for Oklahoma City Schools students to master, including an arts education in a students learning experiences can do nothing but improve their time attending Oklahoma City Schools, as well as contribute to the amount of success they see as a whole. Most Oklahoma City Public Schools concentrate on teaching students in three ways; by showing them how to do things, by telling them the information they need, or by giving them opportunities to try things themselves (also known as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles). http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/62561_Arts_Integrated_And_Learning_Styles_Go_Hand-in-hand_In_Oklahoma_City_Schools.html Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:12:49 GMT Parents in the Oklahoma City Schools face similar challenge to parents around the nation. Preparing children for high stakes testing, trying to balance home and work, and preparing students for independence in a global economy are not small tasks for parents or teachers. What the children of Oklahoma City Schools have in their favor is a local community that is unusually supportive of public education. In 2001 residents voted in an historic bond initiate that used future taxes to provide new and renovated school buildings for all Oklahoma City Schools. Such a wide margin of public support is sadly unusual. But give the community involvement the parents of Oklahoma City Public Schools really seem interested in what they can do to give their own children, and local schools, the best chance possible. As a former teacher and parent of school-age learners, heres my advice on the three critical steps parents can take for their childrens success. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/59670_Empowering_Parents_In_The_Oklahoma_City_Schools.html Sat, 01 Sep 2007 20:49:39 GMT As the largest school district in the nation, with over a million students, the New York City Public Schools face a mammoth task. In some ways New York City Schools are at an advantage because New York State has required the stringent Regents exam as a requirement for graduation for years. That doesnt mean that everyone in the New York City Schools is fond of the mandatory tests, but it has put the city and state at an advantage as far as meeting some of the No Child Left Behind Acts Standards. At least teachers and administrators of the New York City Schools already had some tight standards in place. Teachers in New York City Schools need to have or obtain a Masters Degree to teach. While the New York City Schools are in need of teachers, just like the rest of the nation, the standards that they hold their teachers to and the pay are among the highest in the country. Thats not to say the New York City Schools dont have problems- they do. But the New York City Schools do have a sound foundation for hiring teachers. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/59623_Teachers_In_New_York_City_Schools.html Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:25:30 GMT Every city in every state in this nation has a homeless population. These are people who are down on their luck. They may have suffered a series of financial disasters and have been driven from their homes because they simply couldnt pay the bills. They may suffer from a mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or clinical depression and are unable to care for themselves financially, as well as physically. It is beyond them to provide themselves with adequate food or shelter. Sadly, many families suffer the first fate mounting bills force them out of their homes. Many live in their cars, but still more have to depend on charitable organizations to help them meet the needs of their families. Sometimes, the judicial system gets involved, and families are split up; kids are placed in foster care in the hopes that they will get the care they need. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/58733_Kansas_City_Schools_Serve_Unique_Students.html Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:33:36 GMT New York City Schools started converting many of its massive high schools into smaller, thematic schools in 2002. The 2006 graduates who were the first students in New York City Schools to have spent their entire four-year high school experience in the smaller venues had impressive results. And the 2007 results continue to look good. Graduation rates of the 47 small-sized New York City Schools are significantly higher that the citys overall rates. The small schools report a 73 graduation rate while the city reports a 60 rate. These numbers are important to several different groups within the New York City Schools. The small schools initiative is a major component of Mayor Michael Bloombergs attempt to improve the New York City Schools. The first installation of the smaller New York City Schools were funded with over 30 million from groups like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporations and the Open Society Institute. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/55656_New_York_City_Schools_See_Large_Success_With_Small_Schools.html Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:49:18 GMT Salt Lake City Schools recognized the academic success of both a federally funded program, and of its individual students in May. The first group of 150 Utah Scholars has graduated from the rigorous academic high school program. Utah Scholars is a federally funded program that was with the goal of encouraging academic rigor at the high school level. Several Salt Lake City Schools including the Granite, Jordan, Park City and Prove districts had participating students. Utah was one of 22 states to benefit with a grant of 300,000 to fund the program for two years. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/54697_Salt_Lake_City_Schools_See_First_Utah_Scholarship_Grads.html Sun, 08 Jul 2007 04:05:31 GMT Oklahoma City Schools have ridden a roller coaster of ups and downs for the past decade. The district was labeled as in need of improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). That federal mandate led to major overhauls which included a district improvement plan, a comprehensive local education plan (CLEP) and numerous initiatives by then superintendent Bob Moore. The changes have seen marked improvements. Following Moores resignation, interim superintendent Linda S. Brown and the Oklahoma City Schools Board instituted four major tools to help meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as required by the NCLB act. These tools are: district restructuring, the Instructional Facilitator Program, the Organizational Health Inventory, and the High Performance Model. The major concern of Oklahoma City Schools during the previous academic year was finding someone capable of continuing the upward progress of these initiatives. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/53938_Oklahoma_City_Schools_Find_New_Leader.html Thu, 28 Jun 2007 04:43:13 GMT The state of Kansas Board of Education is expected to make a change to teacher licensure requirements that could help Kansas City Schools get the teachers it needs. According to Martha Gage, director of teacher education and licensure, the Professional Standards Board recommends the improvements. The changes will allow teachers in Kansas City Schools, and across the state, to add subjects to their portfolios with greater ease. Why is this important to Kansas City Schools? As a result of the state increase in science department credits required for graduation, the Kansas City Schools cannot fill its need for chemistry and physics teachers. This change would allow a biology teacher to take the competency test in a different science area, like chemistry, and be qualified to teach it. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/53549_Kansas_City_Schools_Change_Licensing_Requirements.html Sun, 24 Jun 2007 15:55:49 GMT If you want to stir up a frenzy of controversy, just ask families in Salt Lake City Schools what they think about educating the children of illegal immigrants. The answers will be diverse and impassioned. Based on numbers provided by the Utah Office of Education state schools, including Salt Lake City Schools, spend about 5,140 annually per pupil. A recent audit titled A Review of the Public Education Costs of Undocumented Children recently threw some fuel into the fire. The audit, performed by the Utah Office Legislative Auditor General, reports that the state spends over 63 million annually on undocumented students. Residents and state representatives of Salt Lake City Schools are engaged in a heated dialogue regarding the accuracy of that number. The study claims that educating a Salt Lake City Schools students who is undocumented costs 100-400 more annually due to the need for special language and low-income programs. This matter is of special interest to the Salt Lake City Schools because administrators have been trying to use available funds to meet rising standards in cost-efficient and effective ways. A look at the recent initiatives in Salt Lake City Schools reveals numerous efforts like vouchers, school choice and charter schools in the citys attempt to improve education. Many representatives of Salt Lake City Schools interpret the audit to show that educating undocumented students comes at the detriment of the rest of the population. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/52302_Salt_Lake_City_Schools_Look_At_Costs_Of_Undocumented_Students.html Sun, 10 Jun 2007 23:24:38 GMT In the 5 years since New York City Schools received funding from philanthropic giants like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, and the Open Society Institute New Yorkers have watched closely the development of New Century High Schools (NCHS). The 70 million investment funded an initiative to create smaller high school communities in this vast metropolis. The goal is to provide children in New York City Schools with more choices to drive them toward their goals of college, or practical employment. Currently, 83 New Century High Schools are educating over 13,000 high school students. These schools are markedly different than traditional New York City Schools. The first difference is in size. A NCHS is housed in a larger high school, but only educates about 400 students. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/51621_New_York_City_Schools_See_Success_In_New_Century_High_Schools.html Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:25:21 GMT Kansas City Schools have undergone many changes in the past five years. The resignation of the superintendent for embezzlement of funds in 2002 highlighted the districts need for change. Since then, Kansas City Schools have experienced reforms and new initiatives that are credited with giving the district some of the lowest dropout rates in the country. Kansas City Schools are still struggling and in a bit of turmoil, but they are making good progress in their efforts to get back into the game. Kansas City Schools have composed their own list of reforms unique to the state of Missouri. One example is the Show-Me Standard, a group of goals designed to make students more independent thinkers and workers. Emphasis is put on the importance of community involvement and initiatives that promote a practical approach to life after high school. The Show-Me Standard pushes Kansas City Schools to produce evidence of achievement in the areas of concern. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/51145_Kansas_City_Schools.html Sat, 02 Jun 2007 11:39:59 GMT Looking for a high school for your child that concentrates on preparing for higher academics? The New York City schools have five such high schools. If you have a child now in elementary or middle school, live or plan to live in New York City, and you would like to see your child excel in high school and college, begin planning now for his or her enrollment in one of five specialized New York City schools. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/48737_Lots_Of_High_School_Choices_In_The_New_York_City_Schools.html Sat, 05 May 2007 22:49:41 GMT Residents of the Dominican Republic, especially the impoverished ones, have long viewed the United States and especially New York City as a land of limitless wealth. All you have to do is live there for a few years, and you too will be wealthy. This erroneous vision was fostered in the 1980s with the crack epidemic centered in Washington Heights, an area located north of New York City and predominantly populated by Dominican immigrants. Thousands of dollars in cash were sent back to the families, who still lived in the Dominican Republic. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/48734_Dominican_Children_In_New_York_City_Schools_Face_Two-edged_Sword_Of_Difficulties.html Sat, 05 May 2007 22:49:45 GMT The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child put forth that one primary purpose of schools is to develop respect for human rights and the fundamental freedoms that all children should enjoy. They noted that to truly understand and promote human rights, one has to live them out in relation to others. The New York City schools has taken this directive seriously and to heart by creating its School for Human Rights, a combined middle and high school academy that is built around the concept of human rights. It is one of nearly 150 small public schools opened through special initiatives in the last three years by the New York City schools, having opened its doors in September 2004. During the New York City schools school year 2005-2006, the School of Human Rights had over 180 students. http://advice-and.info/Reference-and-Education/48729_Human_Rights_Take_Front_And_Center_For_The_New_York_City_Schools.html Sat, 05 May 2007 22:49:47 GMT