Good news from Congress: reauthorization of Higher Ed Act

Congress is making small steps of progress. They have passed and will send to President Bush a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which had been operating under temporary extensions for the past 4 years. Reauthorization gives Congress a chance to make some major policy changes, and they did just that, and in the right direction. Among other things, there is now loan forgiveness for those who go into highly needed but low paid professions such as early childhood teachers and CPS caseworkers. Together with a reauthorization by Congress of Head Start several months ago that increases access and improves teacher training, this is good news for children. Ninety percent of a child's brain develops in the first three years of life, yet most of our investment in our children happens later.

NAU: Northern Arizona University or North American Union?

According to the Kingman Daily Miner, a local man is walking from Kingman to Bullhead City to protest NAU. Really? Are they so anti-education that they oppose Northern Arizona University, which provides statewide distance learning in Arizona, including in Kingman and Bullhead City? No, but it is sad that the state's main source of college degrees in those communities is not the most recognized NAU. No, NAU is the evil North American Union that the conspiracy theorists believe is ultimately a klandestine attempt to simultaneously bring Canadian socialism and Mexican corruption to America. So if you are xenophobic, move to Mohave County? Sadly, this isn't the stuff just of crazy talk radio or bloggers, but of the main newspaper in Kingman.

Racial gap in AP exams narrowing in AZ; Rural students less likely to take AP exams

Data from the College Board, shows the racial gap that exists in AP exams is narrowing in Arizona. For example, African-American students made up a 12% greater share of Arizona's student population in 2007 than they did in 2002, but the share of students taking AP exams who were African-Americans jumped by 63% during the same period. Latino students grew 18% as a share of the student population from 2002-2007, but 41% as a share of those taking AP exams. Those scoring a 3 or above did not increase by as much as those taking the exams, however, but it at least indicates schools (or somebody) is encouraging more students of color to take AP exams, with many passing.

The state still lags the nation in the percent of students who take AP exams, which is not a good sign if we intend to be the Sillicon Desert and not a minimum wage wasteland.

The rural blog The Daily Yonder points out that rural students are less likely to take AP exams. This is a big issue for rural economic development, since AP exams indicate a head start on college, and a head start on better jobs. But it is a chicken or the egg argument: are there not good jobs in rural areas because people don't go to college, or do people not go to college because (at least if they intend to stay in their community) they don't see a need to do so for the low wage jobs available in their community?

Arizona still lags the nation in the percent of students who take AP exams, which is not a good sign if we intend to be the Sillicon Desert and not a minimum wage wasteland.