Tuesday Tidbits on Wednesday

It's just been that kind of week!

Here, in no particular order, are a few education items of note:

• U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings took time to visit with Gov. Gregoire, legislators, members of the State Board of Education and representatives from various education groups (including AWSP) today at Roosevelt Elementary here in Olympia to discuss No Child Left Behind. According to Jerry Bender, AWSP's director of governmental relations, the meeting did not afford a lot of opportunities for input, but he was able to underscore the importance of support for principals given the workings of NCLB. You can read more about the meeting---and other legislative happenings--in Jerry's blog, From Olympia and Beyond.
  
• Speaking of NCLB, you can view Washington state's achievement "dashboard" online. This PDF gives a snapshot of our progress toward the goals of the act.
  
• True Confessions: The Tacoma News Tribune reprinted this column from a senior at Puyallup (pron. Pew-AL-up) who admits he may not have given it his all as an underclassman. In the column, which originally appeared in the school's student newspaper, he encourages his fellow classmates to get more involved while they're still in school (while the support is there).
  
• Recess is big news again this year in the Legislature. Two bills have been introduced on the topic, aiming to give kids across all grades more fresh air and time to move. Our Association supports the concept, but has trouble with the implementation. You can read about one of the bills in today's Seattle Times. Has your school cut back on recess? If so, let us know. (If you've added more free time, let us know that, too!)

Is Spelling a Sport?

Like football, track or golf, it requires hours of study, dedication and training. It even has officials! But is spelling a sport?

The people at ESPNTV.com think so, and will be covering the 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee , which begins this Wednesday in Washington, D.C. It's a fun parlor game to debate whether the 286 student spellers qualify as "athletes" or fierce competitors ready to unleash some serious lexicographical jujitsu on one another. As ESPN columnist Mike Golic observed in the network's magazine this week:

"We don't celebrate academic achievement nearly enough in our popular culture. The spelling bee can be an example: Hey. Here's another way to get on TV- use your brain."

Indeed.

If you have a chance, take a quick peek at the Scripps site, which, like any sport, includes lots of fascinating statistics (40 of this year's spellers are only children). They've also created a photo gallery, round results and, of course, study resources. You can also view a list of all of the students participating in this week's event, including four students from Washington state.

Spellings Holds Her Own

Forgot to follow up on U.S. Education Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings' appearance on The Daily Show earlier this week. It takes a confident person to go on a fake news show and pull it off looking relaxed and witty. Say what you will about Spellings, she did both.

You also have to hand it to the show's host, Jon Stewart, to conduct a five minute interview of any substance while talking about No Child Left Behind and the student loan scandal. It's hard to even describe NCLB in five minutes, let alone make it funny.

Not sure if she's just that affable or her handlers prepped her well but she comes off as likable and on point about the graduation rate in this country. Incidentally, according to Stewart, Spellings is the only cabinet level official to accept the invitation to appear on the show. Click here to watch the interview.

Spellings on The Daily Show

Much to the delight of bloggers and pundits everywhere, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings is scheduled to appear on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight...

Five Minutes on NCLB with U.S. Senator Patty Murray

Just received an e-mail from U.S. Senator Patty Murray's office regarding an exchange she had last week with Education Secretary Margaret Spellings about NCLB.

Apparently she had five minutes to question Secretary Spellings about Pres. Bush's plan for NCLB, and made the most of it, to wit:

Q: How Do You Explain that To Educators Who Are Working Their Tails Off?

SENATOR MURRAY:
So, well, the way it sounds to me is, we're making this law try to work. But you continually don't fund it. How do you expect me to do my job?

How do you say that to an educator who is working, you know, 12 hours a day, 40 kids in their classroom, working really hard to meet it and they just feel left behind by this administration?

SECRETARY SPELLINGS:
Well, I would give them that answer, and I'd also say that I think that the policy that's before us now, with more information, more data around kids and their needs has allowed us to be a lot smarter and more precise about the resources we are spending.

SENATOR MURRAY:
Well, they're feeling it out there, and the anxiety is huge. And us Democrats, we're going to put together a budget that tries to meet that better. But it's very frustrating to not have that request come from you at your department where you're the top of Education. And believe me, the people I'm talking to are at the other end of it -- it's very frustrating.

You can view the entire exchange here. Or, sign up for Senator Murray's education updates online, if you'd like to receive her e-mail updates on this issue.