Obama Calls for $60 Billion to Save Teacher Jobs, Fix Schools (Education Week - September 8)

In a speech to Congress Thursday night, President Obama proposed $30 billion in new money to stop teacher layoffs and an additional $30 billion to revamp facilities, both of which will be part of the $447 billion legislative package expected to be introduced next week.

Looking at Education for Clues on Structural Unemployment (Wall Street Journal - September 9)

A new study is looking at the "education gap" - the difference between the education level that employers are looking for in their employees and the level of education that potential employees have actually attained.

'Glee' DVD Maker Donates to Music Education (The Sacramento Bee/AP - September 9)

Twentieth Century Fox is planning to make 73 schools very happy by working with the National Association for Music Education to donate $1 million to school arts programs across the nation.

ARIZONA: Brewer Launches Website on School Improvements (AP - September 8)

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer unveiled a new statewide education website - arizonaready.com - highlighting her goals for student improvement, raising graduation rates and new evaluation systems for teachers and principals. 

CONNECTICUT: Conn. Seeks 2d Chance in New Education Funding Competition (AP - September 9)

Connecticut is competing for the second year to receive "Race to the Top" education grants, including up to $50 million for early education programs in the next round of the federal program.

ILLINOIS: Large Number of K-3 Students Miss Weeks of School (Education Week/Catalyst Chicago - September 9)

Chicago Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and Mayor Rahm Emanuel are trying to fight truancy rates by launching a door-to-door campaign in a community with one of the highest truancy rates in the city.

ILLINOIS: Duncan Backs Longer Chicago School Day (Chicago Tribune - September 9)

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joins the band of supporters in favor of extending the school day in Chicago. Chicago's current school day ranks among the shortest in the nation, which Duncan said was "not a badge of honor, but a disgrace."

NEW YORK: Steps Urged to Cut Cheating in Test Grading (New York Times - September 8)

As a result of the cheating scandals in Philadelphia and Atlanta, a New York panel is making recommendations on how the state handles and grades standardized tests. Some of the recommendations will take effect immediately.

NEW YORK: ‘Shelter Student’ Crisis (New York Post - September 8)

Data from the Department of Education shows that at least 42,980 public school students were homeless as of October, 2010. The number has quadrupled in the last two years, from 2008 to 2010, which education officials contribute to the struggling economy and better numbers reporting.

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