students

Mike Wilkinson / The Detroit News

Three-quarters of Michigan's students are graduating high school within four years, according to new data from the state that reveals few changes from 2007, yet shows no gains in the high drop-out rates among the state's minority students.

An estimated 75.5 percent of students who entered high school in 2004 graduated in 2008, according to the report, nearly identical to the class of 2007. The drop-out rate fell slightly, from 15.1 percent to 14.2 percent.

But more than a quarter of black and Hispanic students continued to drop out, though the graduation rate of Hispanics rose to 60.3 percent, up from 57.8 percent.

June 26, 2009
Supreme Court Says Child’s Rights Violated by Strip Search By ADAM LIPTAK, New York Times

WASHINGTON — A strip search of a 13-year-old girl by officials at her middle school violated the Constitution, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday in an 8-to-1 decision.

The student, Savana Redding, had been suspected of bringing prescription-strength ibuprofen to the school, in Safford, Ariz.

Justice David H. Souter, writing for the majority, said a search of Ms. Redding’s backpack and outer garments did not offend the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches. But the pills in question, each no stronger than two Advils, did not justify an “embarrassing, frightening and humiliating search,” Justice Souter wrote.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan today released a comprehensive report entitled "Reclaiming Michigan’s Throwaway Kids: Students Trapped in the School-to-Prison Pipeline," which documents a trend amongst school districts to enforce severe disciplinary policies and practices that push children permanently out of the classroom without regard for the long-term impact. The school-to-prison pipeline refers to the national trend of criminalizing, rather than educating, our children.

By Kadi Pojeta

We hear a lot of talk about school climate and school improvement these days. Most of these talks happen among the adults involved in the schools - principals, teachers, school board members. Let us not forget some of the most powerful and eager people within the walls of your school building - students! Depending on your perspective, kids can do amazing things or they're  a troubled generation. Regardless of your view, here's what I've learned working closely with student leaders all around Michigan:

STUDENTS CAN CREATE AMAZING CHANGE

"Learning Around the Clock: Benefits of Expanded Learning Opportunities for Older Youth" identifies and describes Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELOs) that improve academic performance, college and career preparation, social and emotional development, and health and wellness outcomes for underserved youth. The term “expanded learning opportunity” is used to describe the range of programs and activities available to young people that occur beyond regular school hours. ELOs include traditional afterschool activities with an academic focus, but also incorporate activities such as internships with employers, independent study in alternative settings, classes on college campuses for high school students, and wraparound support services.

A Spokane area high school is testing a cell phone jammer to block students from texting and calling.

Mt. Spokane High School recently completed a three-day test. Principal John Hook told KHQ-TV the jamming device was turned on during class time and off during passing periods and lunch hours to give students access to parents or to make important calls.

The Mead School District is checking to make sure the jammer complies with all laws before putting it into use.

School policy requires students to turn off cell phones during class periods.

Sent on February 12, 2009

Dear Mr. Battaglieri,

MEMORANDUM

TO: Local and Intermediate School District Superintendents, Public School Academy Directors, High School Principals

FROM:Sally Vaughn, Ph.D., Deputy Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer

DATE: March 4, 2009

SUBJECT: Second Reminder-Dual Enrollment Notification to Students

According to the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act (1996 PA 160), and as stated in the Pupil Accounting Manual, Section 5G-1;

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction recently hosted a meeting that he calls, “Moving from the Model T.” He wants to take the delivery of education for Michigan’s children to a new place. He, or we, don’t know what that place is but it’s not where we are now. This started from a group of schools in Southeast Michigan putting on a full court press to have the state fund an adequacy study for the current system. According to the Superintendent, that would be a waste of time and resources because the way we’re delivering education now isn’t working.

So, we have met a few times to listen to different ideas. The most recent was from Dr. Mark Tucker from the National Center on Education and the Economy.

In recent years, there has been heightened awareness of the importance of early childhood education and high school as intervention points in the educational lives of America's children. Less attention, it seems, has been paid to the importance of the upper elementary grades and middle school and the role they must play in the preparation of students for life after high school. The new ACT report The Forgotten Middle suggests that, in the current educational environment, there is a critical defining point for students in the college and career readiness process—one so important that, if students are not on target for college and career readiness by the time they reach this point, the impact may be nearly irreversible.