Federally funded Reading First called into question
The U.S. Department of Education's internal watchdog has opened a preliminary investigation into possible mismanagement of President Bush's $1 billion reading program amid complaints of conflict of interest. Education Department officials would not confirm that the department's inspector general is investigating Reading First, but a spokesman for Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., confirmed that an audit was taking place.
USA TODAY , Aug. 7, 2005

The Un-emphirical presidency
PRESIDENT BUSH'S love affair with the scientific community is awkward at best. The White House science advisor, John H. Marburger III, is on record as saying that "in this administration, science strongly informs policy." But where's the romance for scientists if Bush casts a blind eye over evidence of a human role in global warming or the difference between evolution and intelligent design?
Chicago Daily Herald, Feb. 3, 2005

Bush Vows Reforms, Praises New Education Secretary
President Bush vowed yesterday to push a "reform agenda" for education in his second term that would extend his academic accountability program known as No Child Left Behind to the high school level and expand access to college by reforming the financial assistance system. At a ceremony swearing in his longtime adviser, Margaret Spellings, as secretary of education, Bush hailed recent improvements in math and reading test scores but lamented the failure of three out of every 10 students starting high school to make it to graduation four years later.
Washington Post, Feb. 1 , 2005

Maestros rajaron al 'No Child Left Behind'
Unas 75,000 personas, entre investigadores y maestros, asisten a NABE, la conferencia de educación bilingüe más grande del país. La apertura de la conferencia número 34 del National Association For Bilingual Education (NABE) en San Antonio, coincidió con la posesión del segundo mandato del presidente Bush, impulsor del controvertido programa educativo 'No Child Left Behind' (Que ningún niño se quede atrás).
RUMBO, Feb. 1 , 2005

English-Only Proposal Is Based on Emotion
State Rep. Russell Pearce wants to make it official: English should be the language of Arizona. In fact, he's not stopping there. Pearce, R-Mesa, has decided to speak for 295 million Americans and change history by telling The Arizona Republic, "We're an English-only nation, and our records should reflect that."
Arizona Republic , Jan.28, 2005

No Child Left Behind Act Draws Fire From Lawmakers
Two days before the Idaho Legislature convened on Jan. 10, the controversial No Child Left Behind Act unceremoniously celebrated its third birthday. If some lawmakers get their way, however, it won't make it to its fourth birthday in the Gem State. Sen. Gary Schroeder of Moscow recently introduced Senate Joint Memorial 101, which calls on Congress - specifically Idaho's congressional delegation - to exempt Idaho and other states from No Child Left Behind. "It's the largest unfunded mandate in the history of the United States," Schroeder said. "It's a de facto takeover of the educational system by the federal government."
Idaho State Journal, Jan. 28, 2005

Instructors Say Social Studies Suffering Because of No Child Left Behind Act
Social studies have become an unintended casualty of the federal "No Child Left Behind Act" because of emphasis placed on other subjects, educators say. Some fear that students' knowledge of history and government will shrink as schools spend more time bringing up their math and reading scores to comply with federal requirements. "The worst thing that has ever happened to social studies has been the No Child Left Behind law," said Al Frascella, a spokesman for the National Council for the Social Studies.
Associated Press, Jan. 22, 2005

State Schools Snub No Child Left Behind on Two Fronts
On Tuesday the state’s school superintendents asked legislators to seek a federal waiver for Virginia from the No Child Left Behind Act. On Wednesday, the Virginia Board of Education unanimously approved a list of amendments that strikes at some of the cornerstones of the federal law. In a move that State Superintendent Jo Lynne DeMary called a “bold action,” the board voted 7-0 in favor of 12 revisions that will be submitted to the federal government. Virginian-Pilot, Jan. 20, 2005

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