Obama Makes Education a State of Union Centerpiece

I really liked the overhaul of student loan policies. One estimate, as is stated in the article, is a savings of 67 billion dollars, which is to be reinvested into Pell grants for college students. I love these type of policy changes. They are practical. What I do not understand is what the purpose was for "middlemen" who were making all this money off student loans in the first place.
Incentive pay for teachers is going to be difficult to implement. Although training or firing teachers who are not effective is something that seems needed.
I do not understand the particulars of his DREAM ACT. It is interesting and would like to know more but I think the criteria for illegal immigrants to stay in the country should not be whether or not they are educated and can add something to the economy.
I was interested in the article but all of these policies that could come into play in education in the next few years are I am sure very complicated and difficult to sum up in a quick speech.

Recession's Toll on K-12 Budgets Both Wide and Deep

The article discusses the effects of the recession on K- 12 education. It looks at the issue state by state. Budget analyst Bill Oliff says that every state was effected, just to different degrees. However, some states like natural resource-rich Montana and agrarian driven Nebraska have seen increases in education spending. Also Alaska and Arkansas ended the 2010 year with a budget surplus. Michigan on the other hand is facing a $3 billion shortfall with a yearly budget of only 6.4 billion. These situations are not the same. It is my guess that all states will be screaming for government assistance, if any is available with the federal stimulus is drying up, and surplus or shortfall will not stop them from asking. I hear people tell me to ask for twice as much as you need so that hopefully they will give you half. I wonder if this is the mind set of the budget analysts. I know very little about economics, which is why I tend to feel a little cynical.
The new government initiative race to the top has 11 states and the district of Columbia making proposals for education reform that others criticize as, in the case of Florida, not very well thought out. But states are scrambling to either acquire new funds or protect the ones they have.

6 girls arrested in Facebook teacher attack invite

Strange story, particularly for Ed weekly. A girl made a comment on her facebook page about attacking a teacher in school and invited other students to join her.
The girls were arrested and charged with a misdemeanor offense. Teachers were shocked because the girls were considered good students, even holding leadership roles in the school. For their defense the girls claimed it was all a joke. Due to the level of violence in the schools today however the school administration and the law enforcement  did not consider it funny and sent the message out.
This sort of thing happens quit often in the schools albeit in smaller forms. For instance, a kid makes his hand look like a gun and points it at another kid and this can get them suspended.