The big question is: why sign the permission form?

Again, prepare to be shocked (or not if you read this blog regularly). Read here.

Another great example of public education thought process . . .

At first when you read this, you'll think, "Are you kidding me?" Nope. Email me when the first one pops in Denver. Read here.

Using the bathroom at Pitt!

Add this to the list of questions to ask on your next college visit - click HERE!

The importance of family on student success

At the secondary education level, high parental expectations continue to yield significant schooling benefits.[66] In one study of high school seniors, "parental expectations for achievement stand out as the most significant influences on [their] achieve­ment growth, high school credits completed, and enrollment in extracurricular academic high school programs."[67] High parental educational expecta­tions are also associated with math and reading scores, interest in school, academic self-discipline, future planning, and motivation for school work.

A snippet from a great article - Click here.

What every parent should know about public schools.

This might be common knowledge, but here are some obvious facts - click HERE.

No Good News Clubs

Soon Minnesota schools may have to be considered in the same breath as California schools. Click Here for an interesting article.

College worth it?

Interesting article about the value of college - not sure if I agree, but it is a good read. CLICK HERE!

No Bible Clubs Allowed

More nonsense from a public high school - click here.

At least California reversed its decision on allowing home-schools.

Vouchers at the college level?

Colorado Christian just recently got its state scholarship funding back:

Here's the brief:

Students at Colorado Christian University will get state scholarships under a decision Friday by two Colorado agencies.

State Higher Education Director David Skaggs and Attorney General John Suthers said they will not contest a 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling reversing a state decision barring scholarships to students at the Lakewood campus.

The Colorado Commission on Higher Eduction [sic] had determined that CCU is “pervasively sectarian.”

In the July 23 decision, the appeals court held that the state erred in treating CCU differently from other schools that are owned by religious groups, but which were not deemed “pervasively sectarian.”

Two thoughts:

1. I love the phrase "pervasively sectarian" (the reason they previously did not get funds). That's code for "a Christian-based college that actually acts like it." I hope DLHS is pervasively sectarian.

2. Why not state scholarships for K-12 private schools? Colorado: vouchers for college kids and no one else!

A new twist on AP classes

Schools around the country that make a "top 10" or "top 100" schools list generally make that list based on how many Advanced Placement courses they offer, or if they have an IB program, which is basically AP courses with an added writing element. A classic example of this is the fact that Lakewood High School often makes Colorado's Top 10 schools list.

Interestingly, not many parents really understand what AP is. Most parents believe AP courses to be a course with a "higher standard" or "honors level" and ask, "how many AP courses does your school have?" In the spirit of parental education, here you go:

AP courses were originally designed and written by college professors to be the equivalent of freshmen college courses. Therefore, if a student scored well enough on the AP exam, he/she would receive college credit for the course.

This has snowballed into the AP Collegeboard creating AP courses for every subject under the sun. In the rush to be considered "high-level," public high schools now offer every AP course they can. But having more AP classes does not necessarily mean that a student is "learning more" or receiving a better education. In fact, critics suggest that AP curriculum, while extensive, is extremely shallow. This combined with the fact that the courses are "taught to the test," means that AP courses are extremely rigid and rarely allow for any deviation from the course outline.

Like most things in education, the pendulum is starting to swing back. Many east coast private schools and other non-public schools are now advocating an "AP-free" curriculum. If you don't believe me, check out http://www.excellencewithoutap.org/Index.html. They are doing this because it makes them "different from the public schools," and the harsh truth is this: colleges don't care if a transcript is full of AP classes or not. The best colleges will be looking for things that make a transcript "special or different." Right now, that's not AP courses because all the big public schools are doing it.

Social engineering at Minnesota public schools

This is where public education is or where it is heading. Read this whole article - fascinating and scary. Hopefully, the parents can stop this before it goes into effect next year. I'm not betting on it.

"I am so happy you graduated that I'm now in jail!"

Here's to hoping that DLHS never has to resort to this - click here.

Maybe your kids shouldn't have a cell phone camera . . .

Scary trend . . .click here.

Coming soon to a public high school near you . . .

A new textbook is being used in 38 states at 180 high schools. It's called The Bible and its Influence. Sounds good, right? In actuality, it is a textbook that treats the Bible not as the word of God, but as a book to be challenged, criticized, and brought into line with a non-Christian, secular, morally relativistic worldview. I cannot find a better example of "you either educate your children with Jesus Christ or they will be educated against Him."

Here's a couple of articles on the the topic: Read this and then THIS!!

The Lutheran Song . . .

No differentiation as to what kind of Lutherans, but nevertheless very funny (thanks to Brother Hellmers for finding this) . . . click here.