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December 2006 Peabody in the News

December 2006

December 27, 2006
The Nashville City Paper—Members of the Metro Nashville Education Association (MNEA) are preparing to vote on an incentive pay program that could award teachers up to $15,000 in bonuses. The program is a research project of the National Center on Performance Incentives at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Matthew Springer, director of the National Center on Performance Incentives, is quoted.

Gainesville Sun—It seems nothing says “Merry Christmas!” “Happy Holidays!” “I love you!” or “Please come home soon!” more than a loved one's distinct scrawl. However, a Vanderbilt survey of primary school teachers in 2003 found most spend 10 minutes or less daily on penmanship. Many young people struggle to write and even read cursive writing, once considered the hallmark of an educated American.

WPLN-FM interviewed David Lubinski, professor of psychology and human development, about a study of mathematically precocious youth he co-authored.

WZVN-ABC (Ft. Myers and Naples, Fla.) aired a discussion about autism that included Wendy Stone, professor of pediatrics and psychology and an investigator with the Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development.

December 20, 2006
LIVESCIENCE.COM—A 35-year study, published online on Dec. 18 by the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, tracked 5,000 mathematically gifted individuals throughout their lives, beginning at age 12. The study found that a combination of cognitive abilities, educational opportunities, interest, and hard work contributed the most to success. David Lubinski, professor of psychology and human development and the study’s co-author, is quoted.

December 18, 2006
Vanderbilt Register—Patrick M. Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, visited campus and spoke on the state of higher education as part of an ongoing series sponsored by the Peabody Center for Education Policy.

Vanderbilt Register—Peabody alumnus Christian Sawyer was named the National Social Studies Teacher of the Year at the secondary school level.

The Tennessean—The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments about consideration of race in determining public-school populations in cases in Kentucky and Washington state. How the justices decide could ripple through school districts nationwide, including Metro Nashville. Claire Smrekar, associate professor of public policy and education, submitted briefs to the Supreme Court in the Kentucky and Washington case, and is mentioned in the article.

December 11, 2006
The Tennessean—A group of Wilson County folks hopes to open a homeless shelter next month, much like the programs already available in Nashville, Gallatin and Cookeville. It would initially help about 30 women and children and eventually expand to welcome men and families. Douglas Perkins, associate professor of human and organizational development, is quoted.

The Tennessean—This opinion piece by Dwight Lewis says that Metro schools have become drastically unbalanced since race-based requirements were abandoned following a 1998 court ruling that ended busing and allowed local, not federal, policy-makers to determine where attendance lines should be drawn. Claire Smrekar, associate professor of public policy and education at Vanderbilt University, is quoted.

December 5, 2006
The Tennessean—A U.S. Supreme Court case involving "racial balancing" in other cities is causing educators and policy-makers to look at the Metro school district with fresh eyes to see how colorblind enrollment might affect education. Research done by Claire Smrekar, associate professor of public policy and education, was submitted as briefs to the Supreme Court, only the fifth time the court has considered social science research during deliberations.

The Nashville City Paper—Researchers at Vanderbilt’s National Center on Performance Incentives have recently won a grant from the Texas Education Agency to evaluate that state’s pilot teacher incentive program. Teachers in the program in Texas will receive financial awards if they show a positive impact on student achievement.

The Tennessean—Christian Sawyer, a teacher at Hillsboro High School, is one of four Outstanding Secondary Social Studies Teachers of the Year named by the National Council for The Social Studies. Sawyer received his master's degree from Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

December 4, 2006
Vanderbilt Register—Peabody research will contribute to the court's deliberations in what could be two of the most significant racial integration cases since Brown v. Board of Education.

December 1, 2006
Education Week—Education publishing companies are trying to meet growing demand for evidence-based practice—a requirement for programs financed through the federal No Child Left Behind Act—by designing instructional materials, assessments and professional-development programs that follow research findings, and by validating their products’ effectiveness in schools and districts. The trend poses a dilemma through potential conflicts of interest when an education publishing company is collecting data and publishing results with respect to a product they want to successfully sell. Karen R. Harris, professor of special education, is quoted.