At the end of June 2007 the Supreme Court made a split 5-4
ruling that limits the ability of schools to use race as a
factor in determining student participation in academic
programs like magnet schools. Around that same time, the
Alliance for Excellence in Education released a study out of
Princeton University that reports the cost of high school
drop-outs to the country over the next decade will be about $3
trillion.
Houston Schools will have to make some decisions in years to
come based on both of these results. The Supreme Court decision
has been brewing for decades. While Houston Schools do not use
race as admission to magnets, the specialized schools were
started for the purpose of desegregation. And the current
battle over the issue of achieving racially balanced schools by
using race as a factor is a tense one. Houston Schools won't
have to make changes to its magnets, as other schools in the
country will. But – the Houston Schools will still need to
focus on ways to address the huge racial achievement gap.
The Princeton study, conducted by Cecelia Rouse, a professor of
economics and public affairs, released some disturbing
statistics for both Houston Schools and the entire state of
Texas. Individually, every high school drop-out costs the
United States $260,000. In Texas, only 66.8% of high schoolers
make it to graduation. And a 2006 USA Today article reported
that less than 50% of Houston Schools students graduate on
time. In that same year the Princeton Study reported that
drop-outs cost the state of Texas over $31 billion.
What explains these numbers? Educators in Houston Schools
aren't surprised by the numbers. They have know for years facts
that the study cites from numerous sources; that high school
graduates in the Houston Schools (and the nation) are less
likely to become teen parents than drop-outs; they raise
healthier and better educated children; commit less crimes; and
use less public services (welfare, food stamps) and less
government healthcare. It's the cumulative cost of these
factors that make the drop-out rate so costly for Houston
Schools.
How is that affected by the recent Supreme Court Ruling? The
question is race. Houston Schools face a significant gap in
graduation rates between white and non-white students. In 2006
the racial breakdown of the percentage of students who
graduated on time from Texas Schools looked like this: Asians
83%, Whites 75%, African-Americans 60% and Hispanics 25%.
Houston Schools follow these numbers closely.
Although Houston Schools magnet programs aren't currently
affected by the new ruling, expect to see more changes on the
horizon. The ruling only prohibits schools from using race as
the single determining factor for admission to magnet programs.
It still leaves room for questions about- using it as one of
many factors, the role of charter schools, and the multitude of
ways schools try to achieve racial balance. The parents of
Houston Schools students are torn. Some are ready to scrap any
evidence of racial profiling for use in academics. Others fear
that the elimination of attempts to balance racial mix will
result in a return to largely segregated schools where minority
and low income students suffer in the worst areas, in crumbling
buildings, and with the least qualified teachers. The future of
Houston Schools' success at closing the achievement gap is still
murky. But the vision of further initiatives, court rulings, and
studies on the role of race in education is certain.
About The Author: Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools
K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and
private K-12 schools. For more information please visit
http://www.schoolsk
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Houston Schools Deal With Diversity And Drop-outs
What To Know Before Choosing An Acupuncture School
As acupuncture has become more popular over the years, governments have recognized it as a valuable form of medicine and seek to regulate it. Once you become informed about acupuncture schools you'll be able to find the right program or school for you and start down the path to a rewarding career as an acupuncturist. Starting out, one needs to learn how and where you can earn a certificate or degree in acupuncture and what it's like to work in the field of acupuncture.
Acupuncture school education and training requirements can total from 2500 to 4000 credit hours. You want to opt for a school whose program emphasizes courses in traditional Chinese medicine; acupuncture is just one part of traditional Chinese medicine. You can call each school you're considering and ask to speak to a recruiting counselor to find out the student-to-teacher ratio so you can get smaller classes.
States like California have many acupuncture schools to choose from, while Wisconsin, for example, has only one school; some states have none at all. Choose an acupuncture school that offers an extensive library of materials focused on traditional Chinese medicine. There are just a few acupuncture schools that teach practitioners the five-element Oriental medicine approach to acupuncture, which is often used in conjunction with traditional Western medical practices.
Keep in mind that depending on the school, students may be required to study herbal medicine or may be offered herbal courses as electives. Check with your school - it's important that you have a wide selection of study resources available to you so you can have all the literature that is essential for a broad learning experience. For naturopathy schools that offer acupuncture programs see online the list of accredited Natural Medicine Colleges in North America.
One good textbook to review in advance of your decision is: "The Foundations of Chinese Medicine" a comprehensive text for acupuncturists and herbalists. Maciocia, 528pp., 96 Illustrated, Harcourt, 1989. Internships in acupuncture take place in acupuncture clinics or clinical settings, usually in the third year. Acupuncture benefits are particularly effective at relieving or treating chronic muscle pain, stress, and PMS just to name a few symptoms.
Talk to the financial aid counselors at the acupuncture school or college you are considering and see if they have any suggestions for scholarships, grants or loans. Acupuncture scholarships may be available; check this out as soon as you make the decision to enroll in a program - don't wait. Economic burden may be lessened with financial aid in the form of federal student loans.
If you visit an acupuncture practitioner to learn more before you commit to acupuncture as a career, make sure to choose a practitioner who is licensed by a recognized national acupuncture organization. Consider contacting your local organizations and health organizations to see if they know of any scholarships available. Note that each state and each discipline has its own strict rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed.
And once you're licensed or practicing acupuncture as a student in training, never attempt to use acupuncture to treat potentially life-threatening symptoms such as extreme shortness of breath or chest pain; refer these patients to their doctor. Make sure to learn about your state's licensing requirements for acupuncturists and necessity of acupuncture schools before you do anything else. Our advanced medicine today has proven the effectiveness of many treatments that have been practiced in other countries for many centuries; as a result, more and more insurance companies are covering alternative treatments like acupuncture.
For more information on choosing the best acupuncture schools and finding the best acupuncture school financing go to http://www.AcupunctureSchoolsTips.com a nurse's website specializing in acupuncture schools tips, help, facts, free resources, including information on acupuncture schools list
