Extra Credit

Final science curriculum draft strengthens evolution

The final proposal for the state’s science curriculum pleases scientists and watch groups, who say that it protects Texas public school classrooms over the next decade from what they call "watered-down science" -- specifically during the instruction of evolution. But the school board doesn't have to use them. In May the board threw out a teacher-suggested language arts curriculum in favor of another that some board members have said they had only an hour to read before voting on it.

To read the Star-Telegram story click here.

To read the final draft click here.

To read the current guidelines, click here.

-Matt Frazier

TCU economist makes NYT magazine's 2008 list

I'm not going to pretend to understand securities in anyway. But TCU economist Stephen Quinn (below) certainly does, and he has an idea to create a government-sponsored corporation that would buy securities backed by real estate and mortgage companies. Here's his guest blog on the subject the Wall Street Journal posted in September. The New York Times Magazine included his concept, calling it the Quinn Solution, this month with their annual Year in Ideas list. Others on the list include the never-ending bubble wrap pop, a cloth car and a mobile classroom. (Hat tip to our friends at FrontBurner who alerted us to Quinn's inclusion.)

-Eva-Marie Ayala

Heading to college in the fall? Make your application stand out.

It might be winter break, but many high school seniors are working on college applications while classes are out. Katherine Cohen, an expert on college admissions, today offers this advise on filling them out. She also has application information on her Web site.

Top five most common application mistakes:

1. Not following directions.

2. Redundancy.

3. Sending an incomplete application.

4. Sending too many items.

5. Not applying on time.

Top five tips for a great personal statement:

1. Make sure to structure your essay correctly.

2. Have a catchy first sentence.

3. Avoid cliches!

4. Singular subjects require singular verbs. Plural subjects require plural verbs.

5. Proofread, proofread, proofread!

Common and worst essay topics:

1. Declarations of love for your boyfriend or girlfriend.

2. Sincerely held religious beliefs.

3. Your political views.

4. Sex.

5. Sparkling SAT scores.

6. Schemes for world peace.

Jessamy Brown

Arlington's Gates Millennium Scholar shares her experiences

Michelle Oyeka, a Seguin High School graduate who won a scholarship funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently returned to her alma mater to talk to students at the Arlington school about college and how she got to where she is. You can watch her presentation here. (The picture at left is from Seguin's Website.)

Oyeka is in her second year at Duke University, with support from a $10,000 scholarship from the Gates Millennium Scholars Program. She was the second of the school’s graduates to win the prestigious award for minority students.

Part of the Gates Foundation program calls for scholars to return to their communities and inspire others to attend college, Oyeka said in a recent e-mail.

"I also want to inform the students of how paying for college doesn't have to be a huge financial burden and therefore should not be deterrent in attending higher education," she said.

- Traci Shurley

Euless Trinity player disciplined for hit on ref

The HEB ISD is throwing a late flag on a Euless Trinity football player who apparently ran over a referee intentionally during the team's loss to Allen at Texas Stadium earlier this month

Apparently, Internet video provides pretty indisputable evidence: a Trinity linebacker wearing No. 47 can be seen running to the right and plowing down umpire Robert Rosales. Problem is, the play was run to the left.

Watch the video and see a still frame of the blindsiding for yourself.

-- Rick Press

   

Three Tarrant schools win AYP appeals

Three schools are out of hot water with the Texas Education Agency, which has granted their appeals to reverse their missed Adequate Yearly Progress rankings released in October.

Marsh Middle School in the Castleberry district and Watson Learning Center and L.A. Gilliland Elementary School in the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw district now meet the AYP standards.

The appeals concerned how graduation rates and testing results were counted. AYP standards are part of the federal No Child Left Behind program and include elementary school attendance, graduation rates, and reading and math testing.

-Shirley Jinkins 

Arlington schools to revamp Web site

The New Year is going to bring change to the Arlington district's Web site.

Spokeswoman Veronica Sopher said staff has been working to make the site more useful to students and parents. The revamped Web site will debut the week of Dec. 29.

A video preview was shown at Thursday's board meeting. It will be up on the district's site tomorrow.

- Traci Shurley

Dallas trustee wants a clarification

The Texas Education Agency has asked Texas Attorney General Gregg Abbot to clarify a portion of the Texas Education Code that deals with whether school boards can change their term lengths. A Dallas school trustee requested the opinion. The code calls for trustee terms of three or four years, but the 2007 Legislature inserted a deadline date of Dec. 31, 2007 for boards to adopt a change. The trustee is asking if the Dallas board is allowed to change the terms from three to four years now, and if that will postpone elections now scheduled for May 2009 and November 2010.

Click here to see the request: http://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinions/opinions/50abbott/rq/2008/pdf/RQ0770GA.pdf

_ Shirley Jinkins

Birdville responds to toxic lead report

  High levels of lead discovered in the artificial turf at Birdville’s Fine Arts Athletics Complex in North Richland Hills do not pose health risks to students, Superintendent Stephen Waddell said Thursday in a letter to school district families. 

The letter follows media reports that 10 times the EPA standard of lead levels were discovered at the base of the stadium field’s root zone. Such high levels have been responsible for the closing of several stadiums across the nation.

Along with other assurances, the letter quotes a forensic toxicologist saying, "A 50-pound child would have to ingest over 100 pounds of synthetic turf to be at risk of absorbing enough lead to equal the minimum threshold of elevated blood lead." 

The letter can be read here.

The AP story on lead levels can be read here.

- Matt Frazier

Arlington trustees to discuss standardized dress

Standardized dress is once again on the agenda for Thursday night's school board meeting in Arlington.

A committee of parents, students and staff asked the board to consider standardized dress for the 2009-2010 school year. Earlier this month, trustees heard a report from administrators about what other districts do. Fort Worth and Kennedale both have standardized dress. It is a set of guidelines for dress that is less strict than uniforms. (The picture at the left is from Fort Worth's Website.) 

The issue is listed under "discussion items" for the meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. at the district's 1203 West Pioneer Parkway headquarters.

- Traci Shurley