NCES: Principals Love Their Jobs, but Some Face Burnout
Is anyone surprised by the results of a recent National Center for Education Statistics survey of principals?
Principals say they “love” their jobs, but some would move on if a “higher-paying gig” came along. More than 9 out of 10 principals say they are satisfied at their current schools, but about 25 percent would leave for higher pay.
Almost 30 percent of principals say they do not have as much enthusiasm for the job now as they did when they first started, and 16 percent say “the stress and disappointment are just not worth it.” NASSP Director of Public Affairs Bob Farrace says, “Principals consistently spend more than 60 hours weekly on school-related activities, [so] the burnout is not surprising.”
Nebraska Considers Financial Literacy Education
After receiving a “C” grade from the Center for Financial Literacy, lawmakers in Nebraska are exploring ways to boost financial literacy training in schools.
Nebraska, which received the “C” grade (along with 11 other states), already offers financial literacy education in some of its social studies curricula, but only 60 percent of students receive mandatory lessons on managing personal finances. Just 43 percent get required lessons on economics, according to the Nebraska Council on Economic Education.
State Sen. Mike Hilgers has introduced a bill that would mandate that state education officials adopt standards for teaching financial literacy in schools.
Firm Offers Facial Recognition Technology as Safety Solution
RealNetworks, a Seattle-based technology firm, thinks it may have a solution to the school safety problem: facial recognition software.
The company is offering that software to K–12 schools across the country—free! According to the firm, RealNetworks’ SAFR program integrates into schools’ existing digital security cameras as a way to recognize students, staff, and visitors in real time.
RealNetworks says that the technology can be used for a variety of tasks, from vandalism and theft prevention to gatekeeping for school entry and monitoring for potential human threats inside or outside a school.
SIGs Had Positive Impact on Ohio Schools
School Improvement Grants (SIGs) had a significant positive effect on student achievement in Ohio schools, according to a recent study published in the journal Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.
The study, “School Improvement Grants in Ohio: Effects on Student Achievement and School Administration,” concluded that by the second year of schools becoming eligible for federal SIG funding, students at those schools performed significantly better in both math and reading than those at schools that just missed the cutoff for becoming SIG-eligible. Those gains continued into the third and fourth years, but diminished somewhat.
The $7 billion SIG program has engendered considerable controversy over the past several years as some observers questioned its effectiveness and cost.