麻豆果冻传媒

Public School Policies

From unions to vouchers, school budgets to discipline policies, we cover some of the most controversial issues affecting public schools today. Learn more about education reform and how it impacts your family. Keep current on the latest controversies regarding religion, sex-education, civil rights and more.

View the most popular articles in Public School Policies:

<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">Should Schools Perform Drug Tests on Students?
Updated
|
Should Schools Perform Drug Tests on Students?
A new drug testing policy at a high school in Kansas City raises the question of whether public schools should have the right to test students for drugs.

Drug testing has become a common procedure in some areas of society, from teachers and athletes to professionals in a wide range of industries. More recently, the question of drug testing for students has been raised, as some schools have begun to institute random drug testing in high schools and even middle schools. Is drug testing an effective way to keep students 鈥渃lean鈥 or is it a blatant violation of students鈥 privacy rights? The answer to that question may depend on who you ask.

An Overview of Drug Testing

Drug testing can be done through a variety of methods, using samples that include urine or a few strands of hair. Common drugs tested for include marijuana, cocaine, steroids, opiates and amphetamines. Alcohol is not a substance that can be detected using standard drug testing procedures, since the substance does not stay in the body long enough to show up in test results. Current use of alcohol can be tested by breathalyzers and other testing methods.

Drug testing can be performed as a standard procedure, such as prior to hiring an applicant for a job. Some schools drug test teachers and have found positive results. Testing can also be done on an individual if substance use is suspected, due to suspicious behavior or actions of the individual. Another option is random testing, which can be done on any individual at any time, without warning. It is the random testing approach that has typically come under fire

. . .read more
<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">Is Student-Based Funding Coming to Georgia Schools?
Updated
|
Is Student-Based Funding Coming to Georgia Schools?
Georgia considers implementing student-based funding in its public schools. The article explains this funding model, its potential benefits for equity and transparency, and the state's exploration of this approach to allocate resources based on individual student needs

Is Student-Based Funding Coming to Georgia Schools?

As schools look at various options to improve school and student performance, one variable consistently comes to the forefront 鈥 money. While many educators assert that bigger budgets could solve many of the problems in education today, politicians at all levels agree that more money is probably not needed in the foreseeable future for most school districts across the country. In place of more funding, some areas are now looking at different ways to allocate the money that is currently available. Student-based funding is the new buzzword for school districts interested in getting the money to the schools and students who need it most. Now, Georgia is joining the student-based funding bandwagon.

What is Student-Based Funding?

Student-based funding is a method of allotting funding to school districts and even individual schools based on the needs of individual students. This contrasts with traditional school funding determined by educational programs, creating an average amount spent on every student within a given district. Proponents of student-based funding argue that traditional funding results in disparities throughout the educational system, as schools with high-need students are left wanting resources. Student-based funding aims to reduce those disparities without needing additional money, which educators regularly champion.

This video offers a discussion of student-based funding.

According to the Annenberg Institute for School Reform website, student-based funding begins by assigning specific weights to each type of

. . .read more
<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">Is Shakespeare Getting the Boot from Public Schools?
Updated
|
Is Shakespeare Getting the Boot from Public Schools?
We analyze how the new Common Core Standards will impact the teaching of fiction and classic literature in classrooms nationwide. Are Shakespeare's days numbered?

As Common Core Standards take their place in public schools across the country, some are left wondering how these new standards will impact the education students have received in the past. Of particular concern is the shift the Common Core Standards seems to promote from the reading of classic fiction to nonfiction within the classroom. The worries over how the standards will change the standard English class have accelerated and snowballed into some wringing their hands over the disappearance of Shakespeare and other classic literary writers from the classroom. However, proponents of the new national education standards are adding their two cents to the discussion, saying the worries are unfounded and simply untrue in some cases.

This video explains the relevance of studying Shakespeare.

What are the Common Core Standards?

The Common Core Standards were developed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, as an effort to find a viable alternative to the failed policies of No Child Left Behind. The first draft of the standards was released in 2009, according to the website for the ASCD. According to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, the purpose of the Common Core Standards was to raise the bar on the education standards across the country, in order to prepare students for the rigors of higher education or the workforce after graduation.

The standards were created with input

. . .read more
<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">Teacher in Hot Water after Playing Macklemore鈥檚 Pro-Gay Rights Rap Song in Class
Updated
|
Teacher in Hot Water after Playing Macklemore鈥檚 Pro-Gay Rights Rap Song in Class
After playing rapper Macklemore's "Same Love" pro-gay rights rap song in class, a Michigan teacher was suspended with no pay. We explore the controversy.

A controversy in a Michigan middle school has been resolved, but questions still remain over why a performing arts teacher was severely disciplined after allowing a student to play a marriage equality song in her classroom. The teacher, Susan Johnson, from Centennial Middle School, allowed the song after checking with the student to be sure it fit within the guidelines of the school district. However, the song offended at least one classmate, whose complaint eventually led to the teacher鈥檚 disciplinary action. Was the teacher merely defending a student鈥檚 freedom of speech, or was she in violation of district policy? The answer to that question appears to depend on who you ask.

The video offers an overview of freedom of speech in public schools.

鈥淪ame Love鈥 Subject of Controversy

According to , Johnson allowed a student in one of her eighth-grade performing arts classes to play the song 鈥淪ame Love鈥 by rapper Macklemore during class. Prior to granting permission, Johnson asked the student if the song contained any inappropriate language or references to violence. The student responded that it did not. In fact, 鈥淪ame Love鈥 is a song about marriage equality, depicting the life of a gay man from beginning to end. Some of the lyrics in the song include:

鈥淐an鈥檛 change, even if I tried鈥︹

鈥淣o freedom 鈥榯il we鈥檙e equal鈥︹

鈥淲e become so numb to what we鈥檙e saying鈥︹

鈥淚f I

. . .read more
<麻豆果冻传媒 class="amc-article-title amc-mr-title">NAACP Pushing for Broad Reform in Public Education to Promote Quality, Equality
Updated
|
NAACP Pushing for Broad Reform in Public Education to Promote Quality, Equality
We鈥檒l report on a new report published by the NAACP that focuses on four areas of education that must be reformed if the U.S. is to maintain their high level of education nationwide.

As more interested parties weigh in on ways to raise the bar on the standard of public education in the United States, a notable equal-rights organization has now found its voice. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has recently issued a report that focuses on four primary areas of improvement that should be addressed by the public education system today. The recommendations focus primarily on what it will take for the students of today to succeed in the global marketplace of the 21st century.

This video reports on one of the NAACP's initiatives to reform public education.

About 鈥淔inding Our Way Back to First鈥

The NAACP report, titled, 鈥溾 identifies some of the solutions necessary for providing high-quality education to all children in the United States. The report was drafted in response to concerns that the U.S. is losing its competitive edge in the education spectrum on a global scale.

鈥淚f America is going to lead the world in this century the way we did the last, we must lead the world again in education,鈥 the website for the NAACP states.

The lists four basic areas of focus outlined in the NAACP report, including:

. . .read more

麻豆果冻传媒 Articles

What Is A Charter School?
What Is A Charter School?
Explore the world of charter schools in this comprehensive guide. Learn about their history, how they operate, and the pros and cons of this educational innovation. Discover key facts about charter schools, including admission policies, demographics, and funding, as well as what to look for when considering a charter school for your child.
10 Reasons Why High School Sports Benefit Students
10 Reasons Why High School Sports Benefit Students
Discover the 10 compelling reasons why high school sports are beneficial for students. This comprehensive article explores how athletics enhance academic performance, foster personal growth, and develop crucial life skills. From improved fitness and time management to leadership development and community representation, learn why participating in high school sports can be a game-changer for students' overall success and well-being.
Understanding the U.S. Department of Education: Structure, Impact, and Evolution
February 05, 2025
Understanding the U.S. Department of Education: Structure, Impact, and Evolution
We explore how the Department of Education shapes American education, from its cabinet-level leadership to its impact on millions of students, written for general audiences seeking clarity on this vital institution.

Public School Policies

EDUCATION REFORM
Education reform is in the works, and you can stay updated on the latest changes, debates, and policies here. Learn more about No Child Left Behind and how it impacts your child. Explore how federal and state government is working to improve school performance, student achievement and education standards.
TEACHERS AND UNIONS
A comprehensive look at teachers, tenure, and unions. Learn how unions impact school performance. Explore the impact of education reform on teaching qualification standards, traditional unions and controversial tenure rules.
PUBLIC SCHOOL BUDGETS
We offer an overview of public school budgets; where the money comes from, how it鈥檚 spent and what schools are doing to get more funding. Learn how schools are cutting budgets and how the cuts will impact your child. Delve into some of the creative ways school districts are trying to raise money and where the extra money is spent.
VOUCHERS
Explore both sides of the school voucher debate. Learn what your options are, how those choices are funded and the impact on your local school district. From the latest government initiatives to results from recent studies, explore vouchers and the options they provide.
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICIES
Examine the various discipline methods being put to use in public schools. From detention to expulsion, spanking to handcuffing, school discipline can often be controversial. Does spanking work? Do police belong in schools? Learn more about what is being done to punish out of control students.
SCHOOL CONTROVERSIES
The most controversial issues impacting public school students today. From bullying to book bans, this is a comprehensive look at some of the most oft-debated issues. This section features articles on school segregation, religion, over-crowding, civil rights, and green technology.