Quick Hits

Superintendent of R.I. district struggles with reaction to mass firing: Rhode Island district school Superintendent Frances Gallo said she never expected the firestorm she found herself in when she decided to fire all the faculty at a struggling high school. Gallo's move has been lauded by some, including President Barack Obama, and derided by others. But she says she still feels that her move was necessary and the "right decision." (CNN)

Educator helps teachers learn benefits of using sign language in class: After discovering that sign language was helping her students learn, participate in class and become more well-behaved, a Utah teacher decided to help other educators reap the same benefits through "Signing in School" workshops. Leslie Briggs says sign language offers a chance for visual learning and helps with literacy by turning the "English alphabet into a finger play." (The Herald Journal)

Arizona slashes budget for all-day kindergarten programs: A $218 million reduction in state funding has ended Arizona's free all-day kindergarten programs. Under the new budget, the state will pay only for half-day kindergarten programs, and the lack of funding could force some all-day programs to close, reduce their staff or force parents to pay the extra cost of keeping the programs open longer. (The Arizona Republic)

N.Y. charter school's improvement may not be enough to keep it open: New York state is preparing to shut down an 11-year-old Albany charter school, even though its students' test scores exceed those who attend the city's public schools. The preliminary decision to close New Covenant has sparked an outcry among faculty and parents, who point to the school's improving academic status and caring environment. State officials, however, said that the school isn't fiscally sound, missed a key English benchmark and has high student and teacher turnover. (The New York Times)

For charter-school sports teams, a hard road to success: Sports teams at charter schools in Washington, D.C., are finding they typically have to fend for themselves, even when it comes to finding gym space. Teams sometimes disband in midseason, communication mix-ups are frequent and schedules are frequently revised, leaving the students frustrated. (The Washington Post)

Historians decry Texas textbook revisions: Proposed changes to the social studies curriculum in Texas are coming under fire by historians, who say the revisions are historically inaccurate. The textbook changes, which include downplaying Thomas Jefferson's prominence as a Founding Father and questioning the separation of church and state, will affect states beyond Texas, the historians warn, because those books will eventually trickle into districts outside the state. The changes were preliminarily approved last week, with final approval expected in May. (The Washington Post)

Study: Boys trail girls in reading, both genders even in math: Girls are outpacing boys in reading skills, but the sexes are about even when it comes to math, a study has found. The Center on Education Policy says boys are trailing girls in reading scores by as much as 10 percentage points in some states. Meanwhile, girls have closed the gap in math proficiency in all grade levels; among fourth-graders, they exceeded boys' proficiency levels in every state. (CBS News)

Is college prep right for all students?: Even as more states require high-school students to take college entrance exams, more parents and educators are wondering whether the focus on a college education is leaving out students who don't thrive in classrooms. Low-achieving students who could use help in finding a career path are being ignored in favor of those who are college-bound, they say, and the emphasis on higher education is forcing other students to go to college because they feel they have to and not because they want to. (USA TODAY)

Layoffs in Illinois school district wipe out entire departments: An Illinois school district is laying off 1,037 employees -- 732 of them teachers -- in the face of a possible $44 million deficit. The move, done through targeted reductions and seniority, means that some schools will lose entire departments and that senior staffers will be reassigned to other schools. The district says some of the staffers may be rehired if its funding improves. "It makes you feel like your work has been in vain. Even for the remaining staff, it's hard," said one principal who handed out 62 layoff notices. (Daily Herald)

FCC broadband plan calls for opening up educational networks: The Federal Communications Commission is recommending removing some of the barriers to online learning, teaching digital literacy and overhauling the federal program that helps expand Internet connectivity for schools as part of its National Broadband Plan. The plan, which is not mandatory, also suggests allowing communities to use school networks during off hours and encouraging pilot programs in wireless connectivity for teachers and students. Some aspects of the plan may require congressional approval. (Education Week)

Opinion: Schools can reform without firing all the faculty: Mass faculty firings do not necessarily lead to school reform, warns Anne O'Brien, a project director at the Learning First Alliance. O'Brien points to a New York elementary school that was able to raise its test scores by building its academic programs and forming community partnerships with mental health agencies, colleges and other organizations. The school also held events for parents, offering them information on how to obtain a GED and when to take their children to the doctor. (Edutopia)

Unions fire back on proposed overhaul of NCLB: As the Obama administration begins to push its newly released education-reform plan, the policies are meeting resistance from two key education unions. The National Education Association says the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, meant to revise the No Child Left Behind law, still overemphasizes standardized tests, while the American Federation of Teachers argues that it places an unfair burden on teachers in turning around struggling schools. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is expected to appear at congressional hearings on the topic today. (The New York Times) (Education Week)

Senate votes against allowing new students in D.C. voucher program: The Senate has voted against funding and extending a voucher program in Washington, D.C., for new students interested in enrolling in the initiative, which helps low-income students pay for private school. Officials previously limited the program to currently enrolled students, who will continue to receive vouchers until they graduate from high school. (The Washington Post)

Chicago's expanded science curriculum has mixed results, study finds: A college-preparatory curriculum that has had all Chicago high-school students taking three years of science since 1997 increased enrollment in science courses, but that did not translate into higher grades for students or increase the number of students enrolling in college, according to a study from the Consortium on Chicago School Research. Researchers found that many students passed their science requirements with C's and D's before and after the policy was adopted. They suggested more academic support and classroom engagement is needed to help students perform better. (Education Week)

Revised NCLB would affect schools differently: Successful schools would be rewarded with additional funding and flexibility under President Barack Obama's proposed overhaul of No Child Left Behind -- while the least-successful schools would face mandatory changes that in the most severe cases would result in the removal of the school's principal. The president of the California Teachers Association criticized Obama's plan, saying it maintains the "one-size-fits-all" approach of NCLB and that test scores should not be used to label schools. (The Washington Post)

Massachusetts pushes for higher standards in national curriculum: Massachusetts' top education official said the state will only adopt national academic standards in English and mathematics if they are higher than state standards -- considered among the most rigorous in the country -- and is pushing for changes in the final version. "I'm cautiously optimistic that this will end up in a positive place," state Education Secretary Paul Reville said, "but we are not going to endorse anything that is not at least as rigorous as our own standards." (The Boston Globe)

Opinion: Educators debate push-back on growth of charter schools: Charter-school operators and education experts weigh in on this New York Times blog on the reasons behind a growing resistance to the expansion of charter schools across the country. The writers are divided on some of the concerns about charters, including whether they they offer the best solution for students from minority groups and low-income households or serve to perpetuate racial segregation. (The New York Times/Room for Debate blog)

Louisiana school gets high marks despite economic disadvantages: Greenlawn Terrace Elementary School is among the top traditional elementary schools in Louisiana's Jefferson Parish, despite the fact that 83% of its student population qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. One parent credits the teachers for the school's success. "They are amazing. They are enthusiastic, like I have never seen before. They really want the students to do well," she said. The school's principal said students succeed because educators set high academic and behavioral standards. (The Times-Picayune)

Massachusetts to establish Readiness Centers for educators: Several Massachusetts communities are part of a statewide initiative to create Readiness Centers to foster collaboration among educators and improve instruction in the state's schools. Among the goals of the centers will be to better integrate early-childhood, K-12 and post-secondary education as well as help teachers share best practices in classroom teaching. The state education chief said he hopes to use Race to the Top grants and some state funding to establish and maintain the centers. (The Boston Globe)

Teacher creates lesson in lobbying for change: Fourth-graders at a Kentucky elementary school have created and presented a report to school officials that makes the case for more recess. The report stemmed from a classroom lesson and allowed students to use their skills in reading, social studies, math and computers, said teacher Rikki Van Pelt. "We'd been learning about building community and what that means as far as making positive changes during our social studies lessons," she said. "I asked them to pick an issue they felt strongly about, and we'd see what we could do." (The Courier-Journal)