Up Front

High School Help

President Bush has put improving high schools at the center of the education agenda for his second term—and that's great. But what's his strategy? More testing.

This, despite the growing consensus among both educators and parents that public schools are already spending too much time and energy testing and retesting students.

The so-called No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) requires testing every year in grades 3 through 8, plus once between grades 10 and 12. President Bush proposes to add two more years of testing: Every child would be tested every year between grades 3 and 11.

Most educators don't think that's the path to higher achievement. Here's a summary of NEA's plan to boost learning in America's high schools:

• Coursework that is relevant to students' futures in higher education and the workforce
• Aggressive dropout prevention programs
• Strong school re-entry efforts focused on the individual needs of students
• Smaller schools and learning communities
• Accountability systems that include both high academic standards and low dropout rates as a measure of school success
• And federal funds to help pay for all this.

NEA is not alone. Some 45 groups have joined in an alliance to fix NCLB, including leading civil rights, religious, parents', and educators' organizations. There's a rising, bipartisan chorus of state legislatures and members of Congress calling for many of the same changes.

Go to neatodayextra for more.

Hitting the Books

Photos: Corbis

High school students are spending more time on core academic subjects, earning 9 percent more credits in these subjects than in 1990, and 25 percent more than in 1982. And more students are taking—and passing—Advanced Placement exams: 21 percent of the class of 2004 took AP tests, with 13 percent passing. In the class of 2000, 16 percent took AP tests and 10 percent passed.

Notepad Funding Gap Grows To those who have, more is given. That's what the Education Trust found in a recent school funding study. On average, districts that have the highest numbers of low-income and minority students get less state and local money than the richest, whitest districts. Nationwide, the gap was nearly $900 per student for low-income districts, $800 for high-minority districts. And the gaps are growing. The study looked at the percentage of students living below the poverty line in each district and compared per-pupil funding in the top 25 percent of districts statewide with districts in the bottom quarter. It also compared the top and bottom districts in percentage of minority children. In 25 states, the highest poverty districts received less state and local money than the lowest poverty districts. And in 31 states, the highest minority districts got less money. The report also notes that low-income students cost more to educate, so low-income districts should get more money, not less. Since 1997, the poverty gap has gotten larger. But the study noted some shining exceptions. Read more (see "Reports and Publications")   Have a great idea? Send it by mail: NEA Today 1201 16th St., N.W. Washington, DC 20036 Send it by e-mail: neatoday@nea.org.

Smarties Get Hitched

You know that student who takes out her compact mirror and face powder during your class discussions?

Photo: Mathias Tunger

Recent news from Grand Valley State University in Michigan may convince her to work on her homework instead of her highlights for reasons that appeal specifically to the high school hormone bundle: getting smart gets the guys!

In an analysis of 22 years' worth of engagement announcements, students in Sonia Dalmia's gender and economics class found that wives have become more likely to have more education than their husbands.

In 1980, brides-to-be, on average, had fewer years of schooling; but in 2002, more smart girls were getting hitched.

As the days of households headed by a single breadwinner have faded into the past, a potential spouse's education and earnings potential have become more attractive, says Dalmia, an economics professor.

Moreover, America continues to transform from a manufacturing giant into a service-based economy, which means "brain power is more required than physical power and clearly women are equally equipped, if not better, than men," Dalmia adds.

Seeing Red?

Photo: Getty Images

If your red pen makes your students squirm, they may no longer have reason to fear. Although red has been the preferred shade for corrections since the 1700s, when clerks and accountants dipped quills into red ink to fix ledgers, the trend in correction color may be changing: Purple may be the new red. Sharon Carlson, a health and education teacher in Northampton, Massachusetts, switched a few years ago. "Purple stands out, but it's not as scary as red," she explains. Pen manufacturers have taken the hint and increased distribution of the friendlier purple pens. This year, Paper Mate raised production of purple pens by an estimated 10 percent.

According to color psychologists, purple mixes the authority of red with the serenity of blue, making it a better color for constructive corrections. Students may view purple advice more positively.

Says Carlson, "Red is danger; purple is gentler."

—Sarah Rabovsky

Toxic Computers?

Photo: Gerard Launet

They may be standard fare in homes and schools, but computers may not be helping students learn. In fact, they could be hurting kids—or so concludes a sophisticated study by researchers at the University of Munich in Germany.

Thomas Fuchs and Ludger Woessmann used a major math and reading survey called the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), involving 15-year-olds from 32 countries. At first blush, PISA seemed to show that computers at home help: Students from homes with computers scored higher than those who were computerless.

But the researchers reasoned that families with computers were probably better off in many ways, and that could account for the higher scores. So they used statistical techniques to show the effect of computers on achievement when income and other family characteristics are equal. The result: Students with computers at home scored lower than comparable students without computers. Fuchs and Woessmann think the damage may be done by computer games. Among students who had computers, those with Internet access and e-mail did better than those without, perhaps because they spent more time on educational pursuits.

How about computer use in school? Controlling for other school and family characteristics, computers seemed to make little difference. Occasional users did slightly better than non-users, but frequent users did worse than either non-users or occasional users.

So, are computers harmful? Probably not. But you need to take care how, and how much, little Johnny uses them.

Get a Cup and…Go!

Photo: Stephen Wisbauer

If you think stacking cups means putting away the dishes, you have some catching up to do. Although it may sound more like a chore, this fast-paced game has been growing wildly popular among students of all ages, with an estimated 7,500 cup-stacking programs worldwide.

The challenge involves moving a dozen small cups—similar to everyday tumblers—into numerous pre-determined stacks and sequences, and doing it as speedily as possible. More and more, physical education teachers across the country are using cup-stacking to improve hand-eye coordination, reaction time, ambidexterity, and focus.

But is it a sport? Industry pioneer Speed Stacks Inc. thinks so, and P.E. teacher John Dunlop of Portage, Michigan, agrees. When Dunlop's students get stacking, it really brings out their creativity and competitiveness, he says. Cup-stacking also "offers something for kids that don't traditionally excel in P.E.," Dunlop adds.

Still, don't try this at home. Just because your kids excel at cup-stacking doesn't mean they should practice on your china!

—Sarah Rabovsky

Global Takes Staying Home They're not coming to America anymore—high school exchange students, that is. The number of exchange students is falling, says  the Associated Press. Some 62,000 studied here in 1993–94 in programs accredited by the Council on Standards for Interna-tional Educational Travel. But the number fell to 45,000 in 1999–00 and 28,000 last year. Why? A combination of schools' reluctance to shoulder the expense of extra students, and growing time pressures on American families—it's getting harder to find hosts. Save Money, Learn Less Mexico is using television to teach more students cheaply. The Christian Science Monitor reports one in five middle school students is now in a "telesecondary," a bare bones building where students watch televised lessons in six subjects, 15-minutes each. Then they review for half an hour in workbooks, helped by classroom assistants. The program is growing fast—it costs half as much as traditional, face-to-face teacher instruction. There's only one problem—Mexican education officials concede that students in these schools don't learn nearly as much. But, they argue, telesecondaries provide some education in rural areas where there isn't any at all.   Have a good story? Send it by mail: NEA Today 1201 16th St., N.W. Washington, DC 20036 Send it by e-mail: neatoday@nea.org.

Seuss-inspired Prophecy?

'If our small school does not do well,

Then it will be torn down,

And you will have to go to school

In dreary Flobbertown.'

Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!—a Dr. Seuss-inspired story—tells about an unorthodox school with eccentric teachers and oddball lessons. Suddenly, the outside world intrudes: If students can't pass a special test, the school will close. Sound like today? We think so, but the book was published in 1998, more than two years before the No Child Left Behind law passed. The book was originally sketched out by Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), and completed by Jack Prelutsky and Lane Smith after Geisel died in 1991. More...

—Mike Tucker

Teachers and the Tsunamis

Educators are still reeling from the horrific waves that killed hundreds of thousands of people last December. Just in Indonesia, over 2,300 educators and 45,000 children were killed and hundreds of schools destroyed, say educators' unions along the Indian Ocean coast.

Restoring education will be expensive. Education International, the world federation of unions to which NEA belongs, is raising money for educators who were hurt. "This is a way we can help our colleagues put their lives together and get their schools up and running," says NEA International Relations head Joanne Eide. You can send a check to NEA International Relations, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036. Make it out to NEA and write "Tsunami Relief Fund" on the memo line. Need help teaching about the tsunamis? Try the Asia Society. Visit NEA Today Extra for more.

Paras PASS

Photo: Erik Burke/MEA-MFT

The tension in the room was palpable as nearly 50 Montana paraeducators sat down for four days of rigorous training capped by a high-stakes test. The so-called No Child Left Behind law requires all Title I instructional paras to be "highly qualified" by 2006. Some may be forced to go get a two-year college associate's degree—with no guarantee of a pay raise. But the law allows other ways to get qualified. In Montana, the MEA-MFT (a joint NEA-AFT affiliate) designed a course called "Paraprofessional Achieving Standards Successfully" ("Para PASS"), and got several Montana districts to agree that if you pass the PASS, you're highly qualified.

In Billings, the school district paid paras for two of the four days of the course. The paras learned practical strategies for teaching reading, writing, and math. It was all about how to work better with children. Said Billings para Gayle Bauer, "You know it's effective when you can say at the end, 'I can go do this!'"

MEA-MFT is continuing to offer the course to paras around the state and the pass rate so far is 93 percent. For more, contact Erik Burke.

A Few Bad Apples

Is your teaching effectiveness hobbled by a few persistent troublemakers?
Ever thought of quitting because of them?

Photo: Erik Burke/MEA-MFT

If so, you've got a lot of company, according to Public Agenda, a nonprofit research organization, which polled public secondary school teachers and parents to get their views on discipline problems and what to do about them. Three-quarters of the teachers say they "could be teaching a lot more effectively" if it were not for discipline problems, and one-third have "seriously considered quitting" because of them.

Parents who don't discipline their children get most of the blame—from teachers and from other parents. But school officials and lawyers also get some criticism. Nearly 80 percent of teachers say their schools have persistent troublemakers who already should have been removed and sent to alternative schools. Fifty-five percent believe a fear of lawsuits causes many administrators to back down when challenged by parents.

It's not surprising then that 94 percent of teachers think holding parents more accountable for their kids' behavior would keep more problem pupils in line.

Two-Minute Tips Classroom Secretary As a middle school teacher, I try to get my students to take on leadership positions in class. One way to do this, and keep accurate records of class activities, is to assign a student to be class secretary for the week. That student takes notes in our class notebook, writes down homework assignments, records pages we read in class, and helps students who are returning from an absence. This has cut down on the questions I get from absent students, because I have a running record of what transpired during a lesson and what goals we met. New students also transition easily into our procedures because they have a weekly buddy to help them catch the classroom flow. Because I teach five classes of the same subject, the class notebook also helps me see what I've covered in each class. Students earn extra credit for being the secretary. They look forward to being my co-teacher for a week. —Mellanay Auman Tucson, Arizona Clean Desks To remove ink from desks, try using hairspray. It works wonders! Just spray the ink and wipe it away immediately. —Aimee Melillo Brick, New Jersey Have a good story? Send it by mail: NEA Today 1201 16th St., N.W. Washington, DC 20036 Send it by e-mail: neatoday@nea.org.

Surviving That First Year

Think back to the first time you walked into a classroom as a new teacher. Chances are you felt a little overwhelmed—and under-prepared.

If so, you'll identify with Donna Moffett, the subject of Ms. Moffett's First Year: Becoming a Teacher in America (PublicAffairs, 2004), whose foibles, missteps—and occasional morale-saving breakthroughs—are expertly chronicled by New York Times reporter Abby Goodnough.

Moffett is one of 323 provisional teachers hired in 2000 as the "New York City Teaching Fellows" and sent to some of the city's toughest schools. Answering a call for "talent-ed professionals" willing to dedicate themselves to teach-ing the poorest children, Moffett and her peers receive a mere four weeks of training before getting the keys to their own classrooms that September.

Inevitably, Moffett, who lands as a first-grade teacher at P.S. 92 in Brooklyn, learns as many lessons as her charges that year. At first bewildered by her students' diverse learning needs—in fact, their sheer neediness—Moffett soldiers on, combating parental apathy and bureaucratic inertia as she gamely tries to tie together a few successful lessons, a few successful days in a row.

To Moffett's credit, she guts it out and, Goodnough adds in an epilogue, still teaches at P.S. 92. By 2003, half of the original fellows, though, had quit, signaling the dire need for more sustained preservice training and ongoing support for new teachers.

'Sure, I Remember Her!'

Photo: Comstock Images

As a biology teacher, I have a lab full of interesting animals from chinchillas to degus. When I have too many guinea pigs, I often sell them to students or their younger siblings. This year, a younger grade school student kept asking for a picture of me to take home. I was flattered that I had such an insistent fan. On the day I remembered to bring one in, I asked him what his plan was for my picture.

"Oh, Mrs. Gray," he said happily, "I've had my guinea pig George for three years now. He used to be one of yours. I want to show him your picture and see if he remembers you!"

—Lois Mittino Gray
New Harmony School, New Harmony, Indiana

State Report

March 2005 Table of Contents Cover Story Growing Pains Features You Spend Whaaaatt?! Catching Their Backs Spring Cleaning Departments Spotlight ESP Money Bulletin Board People Last Bell Editor's Note President's Viewpoint Up Front Leading the Way State Report Debate Resources Books by NEA Members Reader Services Weigh in on Debate Topics Change your address Write a letter View past issues Check out our bonus edition

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No Time for Distractions

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's agenda for 2005 includes merit pay for teachers, the repeal of minimum school funding guarantees passed by voters in 1988, and a defined-contribution retirement plan for new hires—shifting investment risk to them and ending guaranteed benefits.

That's hardly a cure for the Golden State Blues. A recent RAND Corporation report concludes that California's schools are underfunded, its class sizes too large, and its teacher salaries too low—32nd in the nation when adjusted for inflation.

Worse yet, the governor's plan adds more education mandates "without any commitment to stable and adequate funding," says California Teachers Association President Barbara E. Kerr. "This is a deliberate attempt to distract attention from the real problems that confront California's public schools."

The Ruling: More Money 

Kansas In January, the state Supreme Court ruled that the legislature violated the state constitution by failing to "make suitable provisions for finance" of public education. Kansas NEA, which supported the plaintiffs in this case—36 students and two districts—is now calling on Kansas lawmakers to "buckle down to do the hard work necessary to maintain and improve our schools."

New People, New Policies

Illinois Using legislation supported by the Illinois Education Association-NEA, Governor Rod Blagojevich replaced seven state school board members with people committed to streamlining rules and regulations that hamper the work of teachers and districts. Within four weeks of its formation, the new board eliminated a 15-month backlog of teacher certificate applications in the Chicago district.

Don't Bludgeon, Bargain!

Missouri The state Appeals Court has confirmed Missouri NEA's (MNEA) view that public employee unions have enforceable rights under state law and negotiated agreements. On four of five counts, the appellate court overturned a lower court decision favoring the Independence school district's unilateral decision to discard long-established negotiated agreements with MNEA teacher and ESP locals—and replace them with a "collaborative team" policy.

In blunt terms, the court expressed "serious reservations" as to whether this top-down approach met the district's legal obligation to "negotiate with the exclusive bargaining representative of each appropriate employee unit."

Steer Clear of This Place

Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania State Education Association advises NEA members not to seek employment in the Somerset Area School District, citing its "anti-union environment." The Somerset Area Education Association (SAEA) has been bargaining since January 2000, and teachers have not had a pay raise since July 2000. SAEA has filed eight unfair labor practice charges and 39 grievances, costing nearly $19,000.

For more, go to "In It for the Long Haul'. SAEA President Mary Critchfield may be reached at mmcritch@yahoo.com.

Report Calls for More Pay

Texas State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has released an online report warning that "low pay for Texas teachers is driving all too many of our best educators from the profession." Strayhorn is calling for an immediate $3,000 teacher raise; a "competitive, automatic pay increase" every two years; a state-funded mentoring program; and bonuses to teachers whose "low performing schools improve."

"Taken as a package, the proposal provides a basis for addressing the real problems of Texas schools," says  Texas State Teachers Association President Donna Haschke—who notes that Texas teacher pay is more than $6,000 below the national average.

Ten Years to Win a Contract

Tennessee After 10 hard years of bargaining, the Union County Education Association (UCEA) has finally reached a new contract with the school board. Over the years, three different school board teams have tried to gut the current contract and destroy this local, but they could not wear the teachers down.

UCEA's winning tactics: legal action against the school board, defeat of several anti-Association board members, and a determined local bargaining team. And the ultimate lever: UCEA membership increased during the long ordeal.

Solidarity, Plain and Simple

Iowa This winter, both the Burlington Education Association (BEA) and the Southeastern Community College Higher Education Association supported members of United Auto Workers Local 807 locked out in a contract dispute with CNH, a multinational builder of agricultural and construction equipment.

"The community needs to support [CNH] workers," BEA leaders wrote to their local paper. "They help pay the salaries we make and their children are our students....Think about the amount of  business generated by a person making a decent amount of money as opposed to minimum wage."

Spotlight

Scared, Lonely, and Sick?

There's no need to accept poor indoor air quality in a school. The IAQ experts' advice: Organize!

Illustration: Image Zoo

Given just five minutes to list workplace health and safety hazards they face each day, NEA activists from 26 states quickly filled five, large sheets of poster paper. First came the obvious culprits: mold, pesticides, diesel exhaust particulates, and classroom overcrowding. Then came the obscene: rat, bat, and pigeon droppings; landfill methane gas; antifreeze in school water; and even uranium tailings (near Utah schools).

These teachers, education support professionals (ESPs), and Association staffers had gathered in Washington, D.C., to share experiences and prepare for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) December Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Symposium.

The symposium focused on how to beef up labor-management cooperation, community outreach, and student involvement to clean up indoor air quality (IAQ) in America's schools.

But NEA's "pre-symposium" zeroed in on one key piece of IAQ strategy overlooked by the three-day EPA event: what educators must do when administration cooperation just doesn't exist. Meeting participants got solid advice on that score from four seasoned UniServ reps, an industrial hygienist, an environmental law expert, a federal administrative judge, and Claire Barnett, executive director of the non-profit Healthy Schools Network.

"Every cent of deferred school maintenance will come back to haunt you," Barnett warned the Association activists. "Think creatively how to build bridges to parents and to environmental, public health, and other organizations in your community. Your building is not just about you, but about everybody else in the community."

In the daylong session, teachers and ESPs mapped out the IAQ hazards of a "typical" school. One five-state group sketched a building with sealed windows, flat roofs, cockroach and mice feces, poor temperature control, and an HVAC system full of water and mold.

Then there was another,  even more sinister hazard. Too many school employees "fear they'll put their jobs in jeopardy if they speak out over health and safety," said Anne Marie Abercrombie, a fifth-grade teacher in Elizabeth, New Jersey. "We do have a voice and we have a right to be involved in this issue."

Often school employees "don't want to admit they are vulnerable to an IAQ problem," pointed out Washington State UniServ rep Art Busch. "People are scared, lonely, and sick."

No expert speaker could cite a current law or standard that has the teeth to solve IAQ problems. The best official route available: Build on existing statutes, enforce building codes, and cultivate relationships with government environmental specialists who can offer technical advice.

As a smarter route, experts advised IAQ campaigners to:

ORGANIZE IAQ RESOURCES. New Jersey UniServ reps Norm Danzig and John Ropars recommended that activists research IAQ issues on the Web, document school problems, network with parents and occupational health coalitions, negotiate strong contractual health and safety language, and build both union and joint labor-management health and safety committees.

ORGANIZE SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. Indiana Uni-Serv rep Art Henderlong urged budding activists to "form your own local affiliate IAQ team with leaders willing to say things publicly." From there, get "willing volunteers," ask school nurses how many kids get sick, and survey teachers and ESPs about IAQ symptoms.

"Take digital pictures, gather resources, and bring in key community stakeholders," Henderlong added.

ORGANIZE FOR THE LONG HAUL. "Expect resistance, but be persistent," stressed Diane Murray, a high school nurse in Beaufort County, South Carolina. "Network, collect business cards, and don't be afraid to ask questions."

The payoff for Association persistence in Beaufort: a labor-management program that has put IAQ teams and "green" cleaning products in every building, pulled out school carpeting, and created a uniform IAQ complaint procedure with a 24-hour response time.

For the district, that has meant a decrease in costly workers' compensation claims. And all this without an IAQ law or a union contract. Say activists, that's the power of organization.

—DAVE WINANS

For more on air quality, go to http://neahin.org/programs/environmental/iaq.htm or contact NEA Health Information Network staffer Jennie Young at jyoung@nea.org.

Rights Watch

'Intelligent Design' vs. Darwin

The teaching of evolution comes under fire—again.

Photo left: School of Law/University of Missouri-Kansas City ©2000; Right: ©Bettman/Corbis

While teachers can't be jailed for discussing evolution—that was banned by the Supreme Court in 1968—the evolution controversy has emerged once again. Last October, the Dover (Pennsylvania) Area School District became the first school system in the country to require biology teachers to instruct students in "Intelligent Design," an alternative theory about the origin of life, and to discredit the theory of evolution. 

Dover's new policy states: "Students will be made aware of gaps/problems in Darwin's Theory and of other theories of evolution including, but not limited to, Intelligent Design."

Intelligent design is a theory that certain features of life and the universe are so complex that they had to be the product of some master intellect—an intelligent, supernatural designer—rather than the product of natural selection or random mutations, as Darwinists argue.  

After intense media coverage, the Dover school board announced last November that science teachers would implement the curriculum change simply by reading to all ninth-grade biology classes a 10-sentence statement prepared by the board. That statement says, in part: "Because Darwin's Theory is a theory, it is still being tested as new evidence is discovered. The Theory is not a fact. Gaps in the Theory exist for which there is no evidence."

In December, a group of 11 parents sued the Dover board, claiming that intelligent design is not a valid scientific theory, but a religious belief that cannot be taught in public schools. 

And the Dover High School science faculty took collective action as well. With the help of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the science teachers sent the superintendent a joint letter on January 6, strongly objecting to the requirement that they read the prepared statement in class.

That mandate, the teachers wrote, "will inevitably (and understandably) [lead students to] believe that Intelligent Design is a valid scientific theory, perhaps on par with the theory of evolution. That is not true." They declared: "INTELLIGENT DESIGN IS NOT SCIENCE, . . . IS NOT BIOLOGY, . . . AND. . . IS NOT ACCEPTED SCIENTIFIC THEORY." 

In response to the teachers' protest, the superintendent announced the following day that teachers would not be required to read the statement, which will be read by administrators instead.

In addition, the school district sent a letter to parents promising, "Our teachers will not be teaching Intelligent Design or the Origin of Life," and advising that children can leave class while the ID statement is being read. The science teachers have said that they also will leave the classroom while the reading takes place.

For Eugenie Scott, Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, the stakes in the Dover lawsuit are exceedingly high. In 1987, the Supreme Court ruled that schools can't teach creationism—the doctrine that a "supernatural creator was responsible for the creation of humankind"—in science classes.  That's because it is a "religious doctrine" based on the Bible, and to teach religion as science violates the Establishment Clause.

Scott says that the creationists have learned that you can't use the "c" word, so they have turned to intelligent design, which she calls "creationism lite." If the Dover school district wins the pending lawsuit, Scott predicts that the "intelligent design curriculum will pop up everywhere." She adds that the goal of many creationists is to discredit evolution, and that there were anti-evolution activities in 24 states last year.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, six parents sued the Cobb County School Board last fall, challenging its order to paste a disclaimer in all of the district's biology textbooks. The sticker stated: "Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered."

In January, a federal district judge agreed with the plaintiffs and ordered the stickers removed because they send "a message that the school board agrees with the beliefs of Christian fundamentalists and creationists." The school board, the court added, has "improperly entangled itself with religion by appearing to take a position [in favor of] religious theories of origin."`         

Michael D. Simpson
NEA Office of General Counsel

Resources

Friend of Education Award Nominations Due April 4

Nominations for the NEA Friend of Education Award are due on April 4, 2005. The Friend of Education Award is the Association’s highest honor and may be bestowed on an individual or organization whose leadership acts or support have significantly benefited education, education employees, or students on a national scale.

Letters of nomination must include:

• name of the nominee
• nominee’s position and/or organizational affiliation
• nominee’s mailing address (or organization mailing address)
• name of the nominator or affiliate
• signature of nominator or affiliate officer
• name of nominator’s local affiliate, if applicable
• nominator’s mailing address and telephone number.

If the nominator is an NEA member, send proof of membership (such as an NEA Today mailing label with a membership number).

In 100 words or less, indicate the reason for your nomination and summarize the nominee’s qualifications for the award. Nominees will be evaluated based on leadership, acts, and support of education on a national scale. Supporting materials, such as publications or videos, may be submitted along with the nomination information.

Submit all nomination materials to: NEA Friend of Education Award Committee; Executive Office; Attn: Carol Adams. National Education Association; 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036; You can also fax nomination information to 202-822-7012.

Idea of America Essay Contest

All essays must be in English, no longer than 7,500 characters (approximately 1,200 words in length), and received by April 15, 2005. Submit an essay online.

Grants for Lessons Plans

The Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program recognizes and rewards teachers and paraeducators in underprivileged schools who strive beyond challenges and limited resources to achieve excellence through instructional creativity, innovative teaching, and high learning expectation for students. Applicants must develop an original lesson plan or thematic unit that demonstrates high expectations for students. Four hundred grants of up to $2,500 each are awarded each year. To be eligible, you must:

• be a teacher or paraeducator working in grades 1–12
• work in an accredited public school where at least 50 percent of the student population is eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program.

The application deadline is June 15, 2005. Go to Nike's Web site for a complete application and more information.

Math & Science Teaching awards

Mathematics and science teachers K–12 are eligible for the award. In even-numbered years, the award is given to elementary teachers (grades K–6); in odd-numbered years, secondary teachers (grades 7–12) are recognized. To be eligible, educators must:

• be teachers in one of the 50 states or four jurisdictions
• be full-time employees of their school districts
• have at least five years of mathematics and/or science teaching experience prior to application
• be assigned to teach math and/or science during the current year at a public or private school.

Teachers compete in either the mathematics or the science category. Awardees receive:

• a citation signed by the U.S. President
• a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation
• a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend recognition events and professional development opportunities.

For more information, including further eligibility requirements, go to www.paemst.org.

Mini-Grants for Good Deeds

Pay It Forward Mini-Grants of up to $500 fund one-time-only service-oriented projects identified by youth as activities they would like to perform to benefit their school, neighborhood, or greater community. To be considered, projects must contain a “pay it forward” focus—that is, they must be based on the idea of one person doing a favor for others, who in turn do favors for others, with the results growing exponentially. Grant applications are reviewed by a Selection Committee three times a year.

When completing an application, explain the project thoroughly, include specific details about its educational value, and attach a clear and concise budget. Application deadlines are January 15, April 15, and October 15 of each year.

Here's more information and an application.

Turning Phones Into Money

The EcoPhones Drive is a cellular phone fund-raising and recycling program that pays organizations up to $100 for each used digital cell phone they turn in. No buying or selling is required to participate. EcoPhones provides a marketing kit to help launch community phone drives. Once you collect a full box of phones, EcoPhones will pick them up for free and send a check.

Go to EcoPhones Drive's for more information.

Heads Up from NEA Member Benefits

Approaching Age 65 or Thinking About Retirement?

Request your copy of this useful guide by calling the NEA Member Benefits Member Service Center toll free at 1-800-637-4636 or download it. When you reach age 65 and sign up for Medicare Part B, be sure to select the NEA MemberCare® Medicare Supplement Program for your supplemental coverage—it’s highly cost-competitive and designed exclusively for members!

Bridge The Gap—Before You Come To It!

Scenario: You bought a car two months ago for $25,000 but a tree falls on it. The insurance company determines the car is now worth $20,000—a frightening 20 percent reduction in value. That’s where gap insurance can help; it covers the difference between your car’s current assessed value and what you still owe the finance company.

If you lease a car, gap insurance is usually mandated by the contract or included in it. Check the lease to see if you have it, how much is offered, and how much it costs. 

The NEA Members Auto & Home Insurance Program®, available through California Casualty, offers gap insurance with every automobile policy it sells.

Find out more online or call 1-800-877-7345.

More than 90,000 NEA members visit www.neamb.com each month.

Take Note

What Paraeducators Achieve

Of paraeducators who have a job description, 27 percent think it does not accurately describe what they do. One quarter of paras have no job description at all. To help remedy this situation, NEA ESP Quality offers Results-Oriented Job Descriptions: How Paraeducators Help Students Achieve, an online guide that outlines the process by which new results-oriented job descriptions (ROJDs) can be written to help paras achieve recognition of the vital roles they play. The ROJD does more than describe what a paraeducator does (the tasks). It describes what the paraeducator accomplishes (the results). Access this guide online. For a printed copy, contact ESP Quality Program, Attention: Program Assistant, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036; 202-822-7131; ESP.Program@nea.org.

Share Your Stories

The NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN) is interested in hearing from NEA members who have been touched by cervical cancer. If you are willing to talk to us about your experience, we want to hear from you. Contact Emily Jadwin of NEA HIN.

Trainers in LGBT Issues in Education

Students cannot learn where they do not feel safe and supported, but schools are too often unsafe for students who are different because of sexual orientation or gender identity. In a 2003 study of U.S. middle and high schools, 84 percent of students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) reported being verbally harassed, 39 percent reported being physically harassed, and 83 percent reported that school personnel failed to intervene. Taking a stand against bias can be difficult, but doing so is important: A 2004 poll indicated that 64 percent of boys and 80 percent of girls said they were likely to listen to a teacher they respected if the teacher told them to stop using anti-gay slurs.

To support state and local affiliates in providing trainings for school personnel on responding to bias and creating safe learning environments for all students, NEA Human and Civil Rights has created a 2004 Directory of Trainers on LGBT Issues in Education.  This state-by-state directory lists over 900 individuals and organizations who are available to deliver workshops on LGBT issues in education, including their contact information, biographies, and workshop topics. 

We encourage affiliates to assist schools in scheduling trainings on school safety. NEA has not screened, certified, or endorsed any of these trainers, so affiliates are encouraged to review credentials, references, and proposed workshop outlines before selecting trainers and are responsible for arranging and funding their own trainings. For more information, contact Kevin Kumashiro (202-822-7439), Linda Bacon (202-822-7724), or Al-Tony Gilmore (202-822-7395).

Helping the Next Generation of Educators

Travel Safety Tips for Youth

Teachers, parents, and students can obtain a free brochure, “Travel Safety Tips: For Students, Youth and College Age Travelers,” from the Student and Youth Travel Association of North America (SYTA), a non-profit, professional travel trade association.

The brochure focuses on the unique travel needs and challenges faced by young people traveling in groups or on their own. A special section, “Questions Parents Should Ask,” advises parents on what to discuss with the travel provider before their children depart. The brochure is available for free by calling 800-509-7982. It can also be downloaded from the SYTA Web site.

Psychiatrists Who Work in Schools

The Directory of Psychiatrists Who Work in Schools has been updated and can be found on the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Web site, under “Public Information” and then “Families and Children.” More than 280 psychiatrists have agreed to be listed in this guide for finding names and locations of doctors who work with schools. If you have questions or comments, please contact kids@psych.org or write to the Office of Children’s Affairs, APA, 1000 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1825, Arlington, VA 22209.

Exploring Africa and Its Cultures

This summer a two-person team will embark on a two-year-long, overland African expedition through 35 countries as part of the Tire Tracks Project—and they’re inviting students around the world to virtually join them. At the Tire Tracks Web site students and teachers will be able to access interactive, multi-media content about Africa and its people sent from the explorers that reinforces concepts taught in social studies, science, technology, and reflective writing courses. The team hopes to offer a fresh and balanced view of Africa, providing students with a new perspective on the continent. Students will also be able to participate in monthly and semester-end projects with other classes and interact frequently with the Tire Tracks Explorers, in addition to exchanging questions and ideas with the estimated 1,000+ participating classrooms. Sign up or for more information.

Student Journalism Online

TEENSPEAK Today for the Leaders of Tomorrow, is a quarterly publication, written by teens for teens, intended to inspire young people to take an interest in the issues that confront our country and our world. TeenSpeak was established to help eradicate the apathy and complacency many youth feel about what happens in their communities, their country, and their world. TeenSpeak reporters learn fundamental skills in journalism. They interview prominent people in our world who lead by example. Through their articles, they inspire their peers to take an interest in topics that they might not otherwise be interested in learning about. TeenSpeak is growing an international forum with reporters as far away as Pakistan, India, Israel, China, and France. Teens ages 16–23 can submit editorials on any issue for consideration for publication. For more information,  you can e-mail teenspk@optonline.net. No downloads or attached files are accepted. Sign up for a free online subscription.

Read Across America is

‘Where It’s Hat!’

If you want to celebrate the joy of reading, chances are there’s a Read Across America celebration near you as millions of readers young and old gather together for NEA’s Read Across America day, March 2. But don’t stop there! Read Across America has plenty of resources for your classroom and community to keep kids reading all year long. Sign up for the RAA newsletter and you’ll find reading news, activities, and resources.

In Print

	Feliz Cumpleaños Welcome to the lively Miami barrio where Chavi and her friend Rosario are intent on making Lazarita’s dreams of a 15th birthday party come true, even though her father has lost his job. Mayra L. Dole’s colorful bilingual book Birthday in the Barrio/ Cumpleaños en el Barrio tells the story of Chavi and Rosario’s scheme to put on a party that won’t cost Lazarita’s family anything, while at the same time helping out the nearby homeless shelter. 32 pp.
	Exploring Extinction The Race to Save the Lord God Bird is Phillip Hoose’s mesmerizing, well-researched narration of the ivory-billed woodpecker’s disappearance, one of the first big conservation showdowns. The book explores our changing attitudes surrounding species and habitat protection and pays tribute to a legendary animal as well as the human spirit. 196 pp.
	Grandpa’s Memory Every year, Kathleen makes the trip to visit her “faraway” Grandpa Danny. But recently, Grandpa has started forgetting things, such as the letters he usually writes to her. Grandpa eventually comes to live with Kathleen and her parents when his memory worsens. In the gentle Faraway Grandpa, author Roberta Karim covers a difficult subject with lots of heart, telling how Kathleen still finds ways to have fun with her grandpa despite his deteriorating memory. 33 pp.
	Making Science Class Count If your middle school students seem disengaged from the common textbook approach to science, Olaf Jorgenson, Jackie Cleveland, and Rick Vanosdall’s Doing Good Science in Middle School: A Practical Guide to Inquiry-Based Instruction may be just what you need. Put together by experienced educators, this guide is packed with strategies for reaching all students and ideas for presenting curriculum, all centered around 10 core activities 133 pp.

Breathe Easier at Home, School, and at Play

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies show that indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. To help improve indoor air quality, the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) worked with EPA to develop the Indoor AIRepair at Home, School, and Play (HSP) program. HSP takes school personnel on self-guided building inspections and provides low- and no-cost solutions to common indoor air quality problems. Order your free kit today by calling 800-878-4403.

Helping Students with Diabetes Succeed

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in school-age children, affecting about 206,000 young people in 2002. The National Diabetes Education Program offers a new publication, Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel. Part of the Diabetes in School Initiative, jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the guide includes practices for schools to follow to effectively help students manage diabetes in a safe learning environment. For copies, call 800-438-5383 or go to www.ndep.nih.gov/resources/school.htm.

School Facilities and the Environment—From the Administrator’s Perspective

The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) recently published Schoolhouse in the Red,

which focuses on improving children’s health by improving the school facility environment. Although written for school administrators, it has broader applicability. The book includes a discussion about the link between asthma and poor indoor air quality in schools and compares the costs associated with deteriorating buildings. Copies are available for $12 each by contacting Ericka Turner at eturner@aasa.org.

On TV

Diversity Calendar

March

March 1–31—Women’s History Month

The month proclaimed by Congress to celebrate the achievements of women and their inspiring contributions to our country.

March 1–31—Irish American Heritage Month

By presidential proclamation, this month is also set aside to recognize the contributions of the Irish and Irish Americans to the history and culture of the United States.

March 21—Bahá’í New Year’s Day

Called Naw-Rúz, this holy day starts at sunset the evening before, and work and school are suspended for Bahá’ís.

March 27—Easter

Christians celebrate Christ’s resurrection on this day, which is observed the first Sunday following the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.

April

April 2—International Children’s Book Day

Celebrated on author Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, this event helps children develop understanding of other cultures through literature. For more, go to www .usbby.org.

April 6—Founding of the Mormon Church

On this day in 1830, Joseph C. Smith and Oliver Cowdery founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

April 24–25—Passover

This Jewish festival, which begins at sunset on April 23, commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.

On The Web

	Women Change America “Women Change America,” is the 2005 Women’s History Month theme. Find ways to celebrate the theme at the National Women’s History Project site. “The Learning Place” section lists biographies, classroom activities, and other resources, some available for purchase.
	Women in History Find ideas to celebrate Women’s History Month at this site that offers biographies of notable women, classroom activities, history quizzes and timelines, and links to more history resources.
	Tour the White House Get inside the White House with a visit to this White House Historical Association site. Here you can find lessons for K–12 students, primary documents, and hundreds of images of the White House and its occupants. Also available are a limited number of kits on the White House for educators to use as a teaching tool. E-mail to request that a kit be sent to your school address.
	Foreign Policy in the Classroom Students should have an idea of international current events, and resources designed to help teachers put foreign policy into the classroom are now just a click away. Teaching with the News, developed by the Choices Program at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies, provides teachers with background and lesson plans for teaching international issues.
	Math in the Real World Designing and building a scale model house shows students how math is used in the real world. For those interested in the activity, this site offers illustrations and worksheets to help students get started. Three PDF files that can be downloaded from the “Form + Function” section under “Design Details” contain sample problems, including how to determine the minimum window area of a room or the amount of floor covering needed, as well as a printable isometric grid pattern sheet.

Books by NEA Members

	A Winner By Any Standard: A Personal Growth Journey for Every American Teen By Rob Garofalo, Jr. This life manual gives teens 52 personal growth challenges—one for each week—designed to help them realize they have the power to shape themselves, their future, and the world. Written by a state Teacher of the Year, the book speaks plainly about everyday issues such as gossip, money, friendship, and image. Each challenge ends with a practical “Life App”(application) section, to help teens fulfill their potential and succeed. The book can be used for facilitating classroom discussion and inspiring students. 244 pp.
	The Project aces handbook: 15 Great Projects for making fitness fun! By Len Saunders Motivate students preK–12 to exercise with this health and fitness book written by a veteran physical education teacher. Each chapter is dedicated to organizing and promoting a community- or school-wide program that enhances kids’ fitness skills. Exercises; program outlines; reproducible letters to the media, parents, and staff; certificates; organizational checklists; and descriptions of how to arrange successful events at your facility are included to help you plan and promote projects. 182 pp.
	Quick and Easy Ways to Connect with Students and Their Parents, Grades K–8 By Diane Mierzwik This guidebook, written by a veteran teacher and geared for both beginning and experienced educators, provides classroom-tested methods for building relationships with students and their parents. Filled with sample forms, documents, and letters that teachers can adapt for their own use, the book includes information on motivating difficult students, preparing for back-to-school nights, reaching out to uninvolved parents, and facilitating constructive parent-teacher conferences. 136 pp.

President's Viewpoint

Parents and Educators Team Up

'Parents and teachers are in the same difficult situation together, besieged by outside experts pointing out what we are supposedly doing wrong.'

—Dorothy Rich, Home and School Institute

Photo by Matt Ferguson

As a veteran classroom teacher, I learned some hard-earned lessons. But none was more important than this: The better I got to know a student's parents, the better a teacher I became.

A child's education begins at home, not in the classroom, and certainly the home's powerful influence does not end when school begins. It is a force to be reckoned with, for good or ill, throughout a youngster's school career.

Every parent I've ever known wants his or her child to succeed—in school and in life. No parent has ever said to me, "Reg, I want my kid to fail." Just as no educator ever gets up in the morning and says: "I want my students to fail today." Parents and educators want the same thing: Our children and students to succeed. And when they do, both parents and educators alike are filled with pride.

Almost all parents today understand the importance of their child getting a good education, and it doesn't matter if the parents are highly educated or not. After all, the parents can see for themselves that the factory down the street—where a relatively uneducated young person once could go, land a well-paying union job, and work a lifetime—is closed. There's a padlock on the front gate, and those jobs are long gone.

Parents get it. But what many parents don't always get is how they can help their child succeed in school. And that's where we—Team NEA—come in. We can help. Which is why, since I have been President, NEA has stepped up its parental outreach efforts.

Working more closely than ever with the National PTA and grassroots organizations such as the NAACP, the Urban League, La Raza, and ACORN, we have prepared and distributed parent guides to school success, improving student achievement, reading, and math—in both English and Spanish. We've helped minority parents organize themselves into public school support groups. And we've transformed NEA's Read Across America from a one day event that celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday and reading into a year-round program.

What's more, in partnership with the Home and School Institute's MegaSkills Education Center, NEA is training NEA local leaders and activists to become more effective parental involvement activists in their schools and districts.  

Ask NEA members what they want, and they'll tell you: More parental involvement. Yes, parental involvement ranks right up there with smaller class sizes and improved student discipline at the top of our members' professional wish list.

But wishing for more parental involvement won't make it happen. Teachers and education support professionals must make it happen. 

We need to connect with parents so they can see that we, like them, are dedicated to their children succeeding. And I think the message we, as educators, want to deliver to parents is that we can't replace you, we can't do it for you, but together, we can make a huge difference for your child.

In a recent radio broadcast to parents, I said: "If someone in your family is sick, you visit a doctor….If someone is in trouble, you consult a lawyer.…And if you want your children to be successful, maybe it's time to visit their school."

Team NEA, we are serious about parental involvement. We're doing more than talking the talk, we're walking the walk. And I invite each and every one of you to join us on this walk. It's all about shared responsibility. We can't do it alone, and neither can the parents. But working together, watch out America! We'll educate the students and create a great public school for every child. 

NEA President Reg Weaver

]]>http://www.nea.org/neatoday/0503/people.htmlhttp://www.nea.org/neatoday/0503/people.htmlThu, 24 Feb 2005 05:00:00 GMT

People

Colorful Homecoming

For artist Robt Seda-Schreiber, leaving California beaches for an eighth-grade classroom in New Jersey was an act of love… and a no-brainer.

Photos by Tamika Diaz

Teacher and artist Robt Seda-Schreiber spends his days encouraging students to express themselves. At Melvin H. Kreps Middle School in East Windsor, New Jersey, his lessons line the hallways.

Colorful 10-by-6-foot murals painted by Seda-Schreiber's eighth-grade students cover many of the walls.

"The students have positively influenced their school," he says. "They've had an incredible response to their work. Hundreds of community members, including all four area mayors, have come to see it. It's been a wonderful experience, and we don't plan to stop until every inch of the school is covered!"    

Seda-Schreiber never thought he'd be leaving a permanent mark on the school he once attended. "I love being back in my hometown. I have a lot of empathy for my students because I grew up here. It gives us an instant rapport."

Although he remembers drawing constantly as a child, it was his middle school art teacher who got him to take art seriously.

"She directed that energy I had," he says. "That's what art is about. It's not so much about natural talent. It's about passion." Seda-Schreiber's passion for teaching earned him the honor of being named East Windsor Regional School District's 2004 Teacher of the Year.

 In addition to teaching art, Seda-Schreiber is active in the drama department and directed a series of one-act plays that won a Best Production award in a recent Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Secondary School Drama Festival. He also finds time to exhibit his own work in the community, winning numerous awards.

Ten years ago, Seda-Schreiber was teaching art to middle and high school students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as part of a clinical study at the University of California at Berkeley when he got a call from his former art teacher about an opening at Kreps.

"I had a great life and a job I loved. I was living right off the beach," he says. "But I didn't hesitate for a second. I felt like I had to teach, to give back to a community that's given me so much."

—Desda Moss

Cycles of Love

The death of her child forced Pennsylvania science teacher Elizabeth Sterling to redefine hope; now she's helping other kids survive cancer.

Elizabeth Sterling's life changed forever when she lost her son, Bennett, to brain cancer when he was just 18 months old.

The lessons she learned from his short life inspired Sterling to make a 3,200-mile cross-country bicycle journey last October as part of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope.

"I learned from my experience with my son that there are two types of hope: the kind you have when you hope things turn out the way you want them to, and the kind that helps you accept that no matter how things turn out, something good can come of it."

A high school biology and environmental studies teacher in the Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, school district, Sterling was one of 20 cyclists selected from nearly 1,200 applicants for the national team. The ride was organized to raise awareness about the importance of cancer clinical trials. Cancer survivor and six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong joined the group for selected segments of the weeklong race.

"It was an incredible honor," says Sterling. "The other riders were such inspiring people. The thing we all had in common was our connection to clinical trials."

 Bennett was only four months old when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Like 40 percent of the children with cancer, he took part in clinical trials during his treatment.

One thing that kept Sterling going in her cross-country trek was having the names of 48 children emblazoned on her riding jersey. Sterling calls them her "cancer angels and cancer warriors" because some were battling the disease and others succumbed.

"Anytime I felt sorry for myself I thought of those kids," she says.

—D.M.

Reclaiming Hope

For 32 years, Helen Holloway put all her heart and energy into teaching social studies to middle schoolers. It didn't go unnoticed.

The Board of Trustees of the University of Central Arkansas recently endowed a $100,000 scholarship in Holloway's name to honor her commitment to education.

It was a fitting tribute to an educator who never stopped giving to the residents of De Valls Bluff, Arkansas, once she left the classroom. Eight years ago, Holloway founded her own after-school tutoring program at a local church, where she tutors between 15 and 22 students a year in language arts and social studies.

"The program used to be just me and the kids, but we're expanding," says Holloway. Just last year, she enlisted two other tutors, including her husband, Don, a former math teacher.

If that wasn't enough, Holloway also logs many hours volunteering at the Prairie County Hope Chest, which provides clothing and transportation to help De Valls Bluff residents moving from welfare to work. And she's the president of the Prairie County Retired Teachers Association, as well as a member of the Arkansas Education Association-Retired Advisory Board.

So does she ever plan to take time off for herself? "Absolutely," she insists. "I might use that extra time to do some traveling."

But she has no plans to give up her volunteering.

"I love it too much," Holloway says. "My father taught me to leave the world a better place than I found it, and I've believed that all my life."

—Matt Simon

Got a Tip?

Do you have an interesting story idea? Contact Sabrina Holcomb.

Money

Planning For 'Pomp'

College costs are rising fast, but tax-advantaged savings plans can help buffer the sticker shock.

by Mary Rowland

Photo collage: Comstock Images

It's 2027, and little Janie is strutting down the lawn at State U to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance."

Well, maybe.

Janie and her friends, all born this year, are due to invade the freshmen dorms in 2023 and will likely face college costs approaching $100,000 for a four-year education at a public institution and far more at private colleges. With college costs outpacing inflation most years, anyone with a little Janie at home can't hear it too many times: Think seriously about starting (or beefing up) a college savings fund.

Fortunately, several tax-advantaged investments have been introduced over the past decade to help families cope with rising costs. The best of them is probably the so-called "529" plan, named for Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. The 529 plan is a tax-advantaged college savings account available in every state. Money you put into the plan grows tax-deferred, and withdrawals to pay for college expenses come out free of federal tax (at least until 2010—after that, distributions will be taxed at the student's tax rate unless Congress extends the benefit). The tax savings, combined with the power of compounding interest earned on the investments, give your college fund a better chance at keeping up with rising tuition and fees. (Although, as always, nothing is guaranteed in investing!)

The 529 plans have several advantages over older college savings vehicles. There is no income limit on contributors to a 529 account. The amount you can put in is substantial—exceeding $200,000 in some states. You remain in control of the account, and there are no age limits. Your child could use it for graduate school—or you could even withdraw the money to fund continuing education for yourself. The money need not be spent by any particular deadline, and you need not send your child to any particular school.

Unlike the Uniform Gift to Minors Accounts (UGMA) and the Uniform Transfer to Minors Accounts (UTMA), where your child gains control of the money at the age of majority, 529 plans allow the donor to decide when money will be taken out and for what purpose. In most cases, you could even take the money back or transfer it to another beneficiary, although you must pay tax and a 10-percent penalty if you do not use the money for education.

Although you need not invest in your own state's plan, there may be an advantage to doing so if you live in a high-tax state that provides you with a tax break.

With all these benefits, what's the downside? Chief among them is widely varying fees. Some of the vendors chosen by states provide very low-cost plans. Others charge 529 plan participants higher fees, which erode your return on investment—and may leave Janie and her classmates a few books or courses shy.

One other college savings option deserves mention. A Coverdell Education Savings Account, with a non-deductible contribution limit of $2,000 a year, also helps you save for college, with earnings growing tax free. Money goes to the child beneficiary whether or not he or she uses it for college, and it must be used by the time the child is 30. Money is free from federal tax when withdrawn for education. To receive a full deduction, the taxpayer must have modified gross income of no more than $190,000 for a couple or $95,000 for a single.

One pitfall: record keeping for the Coverdell can be substantial. The IRS estimates a time of more than six hours to read instructions and figure out filing. There is also a penalty for "double dipping" or using Coverdell withdrawals at the same time a student claims a Hope or Lifetime Learning Credit. Finally, if your account remains small, fees will likely to eat up much of the proceeds.

Our best advice: Take the time to shop for a 529 plan. An excellent source for comparing 529 plans is the Web site www.savingforcollege.com. As you compare plans, make sure you understand the fees and investigate the performance of the investment option you choose. An automatic monthly withdrawal from a paycheck or savings account can make this a nearly painless way to conquer rising college costs.

Bye Bye Clunker

Photo: Image 100

This year, you might hear fewer of those radio jingles asking you to donate your old clunker to charity in exchange for a tax deduction. That's because, as of January 1, 2005, the IRS has imposed strict new limits on the amount you may deduct when you donate your used car.

Over the past few years, increasing numbers of charities raised money through car donations, pitching the ease with which you can get rid of your aging ride—and the tax deduction you'll gain. Until December 31, 2004, you could deduct the fair market value of the car. If the value was more than $5,000, you needed an appraisal. If the value was $5,000 or less, the rules required only an estimate of value, based on a chat with a used-car dealer or a Web site like Kelley Blue Book.

But beginning in January 2005, the taxpayer is limited to deducting the price that the charity receives when it sells your old car. That might not be much. Many charities use middlemen to pick up, spruce up, and auction off the cars, looking for a quick turnaround rather than top dollar.

Donating your car to a worthy charity is fine—as long as you don't harbor unrealistic ideas about the tax break. Stay informed and you won't be taken for a ride at tax time.

Don't Play With Fire

Insuring your crib makes sense—even if you rent.

A friend returned to her apartment one recent afternoon to find the hallway filled with smoke. One of her neighbor's apartments had been practically gutted by a fire. Her own apartment seemed intact. Sort of. A fine soot covered books, pictures, bed, couch, and stove. In short, everything.

My friend's next-door neighbor called her renter's insurance company. The insurer sent workers right over to clean and scrub the apartment, to send sweaters and drapes out to the dry cleaners, shampoo carpets, and arrange for the insured tenant to stay in a hotel until the apartment was clean and ready. My friend, who had no renter's insurance, spent the next three months at her mother-in-law's house with breaks on the weekends to clean up her damaged apartment.

The moral? Anyone who rents an apartment or house needs renter's insurance. Even more important than covering the contents, the insurance provides liability coverage. That means if someone trips on your rug and sues you, the insurer will cover damages up to the limit on your policy.

When shopping for a policy, look for one that would cover the contents of your apartment and provide at least $100,000 in liability coverage. Such a policy is relatively inexpensive, perhaps around $300 a year.

One point to consider is whether you should choose coverage for replacement value or appraised value of your possessions. Replacement value costs more—if an item were destroyed, the insurer would pay to replace it. Appraised value coverage means you'll be reimbursed only for the appraised value of the damaged item. So the insurance check for your battered old couch won't pay for a new one.

Climbing Out of Debt

When you buy a car or take out a mortgage on a home, you have a specified time to repay the debt, perhaps five years for a car and 30 years for a mortgage. But credit card debt has no term limit, and that presents a real challenge for those of us who charge beyond our means. Simply put: If you pay the minimum amount each month, you will be in debt for eternity.

The only way to get out of credit card debt is to pay off more than the monthly minimums, says Marc Eisenson, the author of several books including Invest in Yourself (Wiley 1998). Some of his tips for climbing out of credit card debt:

Declare a one-month freeze on using your credit card for discretionary purchases. Don't open your wallet unless you have to pay the plumber, the car repair shop, or someone else essential to your daily living.

Take a look at the terms on each of your credit cards. Pick the two with the lowest interest rate, no annual fee, and the longest grace period (the time that you are allowed to make a payment before interest is charged). Put the others into a drawer (or, better yet, cut them up).

Put one of the low-interest cards in your wallet to be used for emergencies only.

Figure out how much you can afford to pay on credit card debt every month. Stretch a bit. Let's say it's $300. Pick the card with the highest interest rate. Pay the minimum payment on the others and put the rest of your credit card budget on the highest rate card. When you pay off that card, close the account and focus on the next highest rate card.

When you've paid off the cards and closed the accounts, continue to use your two remaining c