Middle School Teaching Units » Department Of Education

Background Check Expansion in Question for Hiring in Departments of Education

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:00:03 +0000

Criminal background checks were an unexpected requirement for Andrew A. Zucker when he agreed to present an employment history. Zucker was not doing the usual work at the pentagon, not even taking out the trash. However, he was to learn how to implement the best teaching skills for middle school students. He was surprised at the numeral prerequisites to be provided.

When asked of his opinion on the matter, he stated that personally, for him, its shocking. Dr. Zucker was, at the time, working as a contractor conducting studies for the Education Department. He is no longer employed for the same department.

The Department of Education has been screening different employees such as Dr. Zucker, investigating with a background check involving a certain level of security for people accessing information of a sensitive class. One of the members of the Department of Education, spokeswoman Katherine McLane, stated that background checks of such extent must be allowed because of the sensitive information being worked with. This includes things such as names and social security numbers of the college students or candidates.

The question at hand was if the background checks as a method of employment screening was invading a right to privacy. One of 100 employees of the department submitted a letter protesting the extensive investigation involving medical and financial records. This was signed by the researchers stating that it was far more information than needed towards Margaret Spellings, the secretary of education.

Nashville Schools Release 2005-2006 Data and Makes Plans for the 2006-2007 School Year

admin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:23:14 +0000

Nashville Schools Did Well Academically in 2005-2006

Nashville Schools have made a lot of progress in the 2005-2006 school year. The Nashville Schools this school year has, in several key areas, had a higher percentage of students meet the required levels of proficiency as determined by the No Child Left Behind Act. This school eighty-six percent of kindergarten to eighth grade students are now proficient or advanced in reading as compared to the required target of eighty-three percent set by the No Child Left Behind Act. Among high school students, overall, ********** percent scored proficient or advanced on the Algebra Gateway test on their first try. The No Child Left Behind Act sets a target of seventy-five percent. Even though this is below the target it is higher than the pervious year’s results. In mathematics students in kindergarten to eighth grade now ranked as proficient or advanced rose to eighty-one percent. This surpasses the target set by the No Child Left Behind Act of seventy-nine percent.

Nashville Schools Aim to Catch Up with the State Average

Nashville School’s scores are slightly below the Tennessee State average, but have made definite improvement in the school district’s students’ standings. The Tennessee Department of Education has increased the expected performance of students in three or four categories. Low-income students in the Nashville Schools made academic gains. Despite the higher percentage of low-income students in the Nashville Schools, our academic gains are equal to the improvement in more affluent school systems. In an effort to continue the gains made by the urban schools in the Nashville Schools, every Nashville middle school offers high-school-level classes for credit. Students can earn up to five credits before they enter high school. The District’s ACT scores have continued to rise over the last five years. Continue Reading

Orlando Schools Receive Awards and Funding From the Community

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:20:05 +0000

Awards for Preventing Substance Abuse

Five Orlando public schools will be recognized for outstanding prevention efforts in the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs at the Statewide Prevention Conference in Orlando held at the Caribe Royale Resort. Only 10 schools in the state are being honored during the event to be held on September 20, 2006.

Lancaster Elementary; Gotha and Southwest middle schools; and Boone and Timber Creek high schools will receive special commendation for innovative and community-involved programs to help students make responsible and smart decisions. All these Orlando schools are honored to have received such distinction in the state of Florida and are encouraged that their substance abuse programs have proven so successful.

“As educators we want all of our students to make the right choice when faced with decisions that could impact their young lives forever,” said Superintendent Ronald Blocker. “I’m very happy that others outside of [Orlando schools] value and applaud the collective community efforts these schools are using so that our students can be successful in and out of the classroom.”

Florida’s First Lady, Columba Bush, will attend the Statewide Prevention Conference. She will be on hand to present the Orlando schools with specially-designed flags in honor of the recognition during the opening session from 8:30 10:30 a.m. on September 20, 2006. Her participation adds extra bragging rights to the Orlando schools honored by her visit.

The five Orlando schools will receive further recognition during the annual Florida Department of Education’s Safe and Drug Free Schools Conference to be held next December. Their programs are being examined throughout the Florida educational community.

Orlando Schools Get Books from Donor

The CFE Federal Credit Union is donating $100,000 a Continue Reading