The Anchorage Daily News is running a story on the new report card on schools in Alaska.

http://www.adn.com/front/story/5383198p-5321681c.html

Alaska schools improve performance

During the school board races here in Anchorage, each candidate was asked to grade the Anchorage School System. The incumbent candidates (Metcalfe and Steele) gave the ASD high grades. I gave the school district a C+.

Why did I give it low marks? Here is why.

In Anchorage, 52 schools made progress and 38 didn't, compared to the previous school year when only 37 schools met the standards and 55 fell short.

I stated the School District would continue to do poorly. It has.

Carol Comeau is once again complaining about the NCLB and talking about the extra funds for transportation costs. Her complaining is getting very old. There is Title funding available for the needed transportation costs.

http://www.stnonline.com/stn/industrynews/newsarchives/june02.htm

According to Paige's letter, a school district must spend at least 20 percent of its Title I, Part A allocation on choice-related transportation and services. Within the 20 percent, a district must spend 5 percent for choice-related transportation, 5 percent for supplemental services and 10 percent for transportation and/or supplemental services as the district determines. The final requirement also can be satisfied using Title V, Part A funds.

Additionally, school districts may use funds transferred to Title I from other federal education programs to pay for transportation. Eligible programs include Title II, Part A Improving Teacher Quality State Grants; Title II, Part D Educational Technology State Grants; Title IV, Part A Safe and Drug Free Schools and Community State Grants; and Title V, Part A State Grants for Innovative Programs.

The real story here is; parents of the children who are in those failing schools have a choice.