First Bell 12-19-12

yes Pamela Tatz / December 19, 2012

A first look at today's most important education news:

In the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, some school districts consider arming their school security officers. (New York Times)

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder vetoes a bill that would have allowed concealed weapons to be carried in schools (as well as other public and private venues); the AFT takes credit. (Wall Street Journal and Washington Examiner)

An increasing number of students are taking community­-college courses while in high school; “dual enrollment” is a low- or no-cost way for high-achieving students to earn college credits. (Wall Street Journal)

The Hechinger Report reviews some of the preparations school districts are making for possible “fiscal cliff” cuts.

Though StudentsFirst has not officially weighed in on the issue of guns in schools, a memo from Michelle Rhee to her staff reveals her belief that “guns have no place in schools.” (Huffington Post, StudentsFirst.com, and The Answer Sheet)

The Foundation for Child Development finds that despite rising poverty, overall child well-being is “up 5 percent both from 2001 and the index’s beginning a generation ago, in 1975.” (Inside School Research)

Politics K–12 reports on Fordham’s recent panel on school turnarounds, which featured Carmel Martin (of the U.S. Department of Education), Jean-Claude Brizard (the former CEO of Chicago schools), and Andy Smarick (of Bellwether Education Partners). You can view the event here.

Category: First Bell