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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 1998

NEA Today Opens 1999 with a Host of Education Initiatives for the Future

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The January 1999 edition of NEA Today -- a monthly newspaper produced by the National Education Association (NEA) -- provides a one-stop shop for an array of education initiatives and policy debates from across the nation. On the threshold of a new century, these issues will continue to set the pace and tone for 1999 and education in the 21^st Century. Following is a brief overview of the topics and people featured in this January 1999 issue:

• Oh the Places You Will Go -- On the eve of the nation's largest literacy event -- Read Across America -- educators across America are sharing the latest reading research and strategies to motivate students to read, improve reading instruction and produce meaningful results. (Locations profiled: Livonia, Michigan; Seattle, Washington; Manville, New Jersey; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Jackson, Tennessee; Utah; Cherry Creek, Colorado; Paris, Illinois; Alexandria, Virginia).

• What's in Store for the 106^th Congress -- The number one issue of concern to voters nationwide is education. How will the new Congress remember this fact when the House and Senate reconvene in January? NEA officials examine the issues on the docket for the next session of Congress and what they will mean for children and public education.

• News for America's Statehouses -- The Illinois Education Association experienced landmark bipartisan success in the November 98 elections, building a state body politic that put children and public education first, not party labels. November ballot initiatives in California, Colorado, Nebraska and Oregon regarding private school tuition tax credits, school construction, paycheck protection, and bond initiative limitations also provide a bellwether for issues likely to percolate in the new year.

• When Myths Merit a Closer Look -- Recent studies show Latino and African American students rank below the national average in math and science. A leading expert in science education examines how educators can make a difference in helping more minorities to successfully pursue careers in science and math. Strategies include making science and math curriculum more socially relevant and multicultural.

• Technology Enriches Student Learning -- Teachers are sharing a wealth of ideas from California, Indiana, Oregon and Washington for using technology effectively. A Massachusetts teacher created software to help kids crack classics like Beowulf, The Raven, Julius Caesar, and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

• Sexual Harassment in Schools -- The Supreme Court rules that in most cases students sexually harassed by teachers can't hold the school district liable. Next on the Court's docket: student-on-student sexual harassment.

• Fable of Failure -- NEA reviews the book, The Way We Were? The Myths and Realities of America's Student Achievement. The rhetoric surrounding student achievement is white hot, and the glare is making it hard for parents and policymakers to see the truth. Richard Rothstein's book takes a cooler, reasoned approach to the facts.

• Can Reconstitution Fix Failing Schools? -- States and school districts across the country are taking dramatic steps to turn around chronically failing schools through "reconstitution." Reconstitution at its most drastic means disbanding a school's faculty and reopening the building with new staff, structure, and curriculum. Most often, teachers can reapply for their jobs. At least 23 states have policies for intervening and requiring major changes in low-performing schools. NEA Today looks at how this strategy has fared in states and districts such as Colorado and Kentucky.

• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education -- Art Wise, the president of NCATE, talks about boosting community confidence in teachers by helping teachers beef up their skills.

• Flunking the Teacher Test --A Massachusetts education professor explains why a new state test may have failed so many prospective teachers.

Check out news from your state:

• Pennsylvania schools introduce new reading program.
• Washington's Giraffe Project inspires community compassion.
• A Maine classroom "builds" enthusiasm for learning one house at a time.
• A Seattle,Washington project reconnects at-risk youth to supportive environment.
• A small Georgia local mobilizes big support for education.
• A Nebraska teacher on the verge of firing keeps her job and renews community interest in her school.
• Washington bus drivers and custodians unite to win the right fight.
• New Jersey custodians save jobs from privatization.
• Judge strikes down Pennsylvania school board plan to issue tuition vouchers for private and religious schools.
• Story-telling project in Georgia stretches young minds and imaginations.
• Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, and North Carolina deploy the first ever new exam for licensing principals.
• Paraprofessionals in Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin represent mortar supporting school staff and students.
• Prospective teachers get important jumpstart in rural Sumrall, Mississippi, where connections can go a long way.
• Michigan school secretary ponders future role of support staff.
• Nevada third-grade teacher played munchkin in Wizard of Oz.
• Fargo, North Dakota's Karen Roesler is this year's National Physical Education Teacher of the Year.
• Students of New York teacher Jeff Goldstein won the 1998 ComputerWorld/Smithsonian Media, Arts, and Entertainment Award.