MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2012 Ready or not, TCAP tests raise stakes for students (Tennessean/Hall)

Fifth-grade science students at Lakeview Elementary School struggle with the word composition. Thats obvious, because their teacher is holding a test results chart lit up with green lines for right answers except for that ugly red line at number 49: A student is trying to determine if the composition of ice cubes affects the melting point. Which will be the best investigation to use? What its composed of means what its made of, science teacher Claire Baltz explains. So whats the right answer? The class agrees on B freeze three different liquids. Well, now you know, Baltz finishes before moving on to a practice test question fewer students missed. Its the kind of specific instruction common to classrooms statewide in the days leading up to the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests, which will start being administered to grades 3-8 today in some districts. They come with far higher stakes for students this year. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120423/NEWS04/304230035/Ready-not-TCAP-tests-raise-stakesstudents?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Raising the stakes on TCAPs (Commercial Appeal/Roberts)

State tests emphasize students sharing rewards and risks of results State test week in public schools has always been a high-trapeze balancing act. But the pressure is especially high this year. The scores from the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests now count for 35 percent of teachers' evaluation scores. With stakes that high, Tennessee legislators wanted to make sure students have some skin in the game too. So for the first time this year, the scores elementary and middle school students get this week on TCAPs will count between 15 and 25 percent of their second-semester grade. The exams start Tuesday in Memphis and Shelby County public schools. The decision of how much weight to give them was left to individual school boards. Most districts, including Memphis and Shelby County, chose 15 percent. Similarly, in high school end-of-course exams in U.S. history, algebra 1 and 2, English 1, 2 and 3 and biology 1 will count 25 percent of second-semester grades, up from 20 percent last year, according to state Board of Education policy. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/23/raising-the-stakes/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Lock-in allows kids to unwind before TCAP tests (Daily News Journal)
Running through the halls and watching movies in the gym doesnt sound like any way to prepare for one of the most important tests students face in a given year. But thats the sort of thing that was happening at La Vergne Middle School Friday night, with the blessing of the schools principal. Principal Cary Holman presented the idea of a lock-in to his staff and students shortly after winter break as a way to de-stress before this weeks TCAP testing sessions. W e brought some students in and let them pitch the ideas of what they wanted to happen and the teachers and support staff ran with it and made it happen, said Holman. What we ended up with was something like the television shows Amazing Race and Survivor. TCAP, formally known as the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, is a series of tests given to students in grades 3-8 each spring. Tests cover the areas of reading/language arts, math, science and social studies. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120422/NEW S07/304220019/Lock-allows-kids-unwind-before-TCAP-tests? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Screaming Eagle Trail is state's newest (Associated Press)

State tourism officials have launched the Screaming Eagle trail through eight Tennessee counties. It travels 353 miles through the counties of Benton, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery and Stewart. It is the 13th of 16 self-guided driving tours in the Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways program. There are 76 tourism sites, including Fort Campbell, the Loretta Lynn Ranch and Fort Donelson. The Screaming Eagle

Trail takes its name from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=39108497.story

GED test undergoes changes, effective 2014 (Knoxville News-Sentinel/McCoy)

Tennessee's GED test is about to go through its largest overhaul since the exam's inception in 1942. Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, the test will cost more, must be taken on a computer and will contain significant content changes, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and W orkforce Development. The revised test which covers the subject areas of writing, reading, science, social studies and math will be more rigorous in general and requires a higher level math proficiency. Officials said the new exam would measure knowledge and core skills that are more closely aligned with Common Core State Standards. People who will have not passed the current test before Dec. 31, 2013, will have to start over when the 2014 edition begins and the fee will be increased to a minimum of $120. Nancy Seely, supervisor of adult education for Knox County, said it's time for a new test. "We want our students to be successful when they leave us," she said. "W e want our students to be college and career ready." http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/23/ged-test-under-goes-changes-effective-2014/

Road closures put squeeze on East Nashville merchants (Tennessean/DeVille)

Woodland Street Bridge Work to last for 13 weeks Several East Nashville merchants say they saw an impact from the Interstate 24 weekend closures and fear things could get worse. The Tennessee Department of Transportation began its 13-week bridge replacement project on Friday, closing a three-mile section of I-24 in both directions between the I-40 and I-65 splits near LP Field through this morning. Main and Woodland streets from South Fifth Street to Interstate Drive also were closed as well as the I-24 on-ramps at Shelby Avenue and Spring Street. The interstate closures wipe out easy and quick access from major interstates to East Nashville near downtown. Meg MacFadyen, owner of Art & Invention Gallery on Woodland Street, said shes already seen a loss in business from the first weekend of bridge repairs. Its pretty much been a ghost town, she said Sunday. People in East Nashville are very supportive of the mom-and-pop businesses, but Im worried it may not be enough to see us through. I feel strongly that this could cause some businesses to close. Deanna Lambert, spokeswoman with TDOT, said the department held a community meeting last week to address concerns and agreed to put up additional portable message boards and smaller signs to alert motorists of alternate routes to access the trendy Five Points business district. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120423/NEWS01/304230001/Road-closures-put-squeeze-East-Nashvillemerchants?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

TN General Assembly session ending with key bills in play (AP/Johnson)

Lawmakers hope to adjourn by week's end Tennessee lawmakers are preparing for what they hope is the last week of the 107th General Assembly, though issues that still need to be worked out include the states annual spending plan, proposals to change the way the state selects Supreme Court justices and a resilient effort to ban teaching about gay issues in schools. Also still pending is a dispute between business groups and gun advocates over a bill seeking to guarantee that employees have a right to store firearms their cars while at work. Republican leaders nevertheless express confidence that the session can draw to a close by the end of the week. There are about 60 or 70 bills that are still there, said Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville. I think were right on course to adjourn. House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, agreed. He said a series of weekend meetings were scheduled to hash out the budget plan, though he appeared to give little stock to an alternative budget being proposed by House Democrats. I havent seen it, and I dont know if its serious or political, McCormick said. If they can gather 50 votes, they can pass their budget, but I suspect they wont be able to. House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh of Ripley and other Democrats say Republican Gov. Bill Haslams administration is failing to recognize $200 million in better-than-expected revenues. Fitzhugh said the Democratic plan would call for deeper cuts to the sales tax on groceries and other spending measures if revenues continue to improve. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120423/NEWS0201/304230048/TNGeneral-Assembly-session-ending-key-bills-play?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Tennessee House Democrats offer plan to restore funding (C. Appeal/Locker)

Propose increases for education, health care Democrats in the legislature are proposing a larger food tax reduction than Republicans already plan, increased higher-education funding to offset planned tuition increases, and restoring other health and education spending the governor has proposed to cut. They also propose increasing funding for need-based scholarships, and using more cash and less bond debt to pay for the building 2

projects in Gov. Bill Haslam's budget. The new budget amendment unveiled by House Democratic leaders would spend more of an anticipated $200 million in new revenue flowing in above and beyond the Haslam administration's last formal revenue projections. The plan would supplement the large budget amendment Haslam presented to lawmakers in March that would restore many of the cuts in the Fiscal Year 2012-13 budget that he presented in January. Their differences over the budget will be overshadowed by social, gun and other issues in the days ahead as Republican leaders press to close out the 2012 legislative session before the end of April. But the budget fight -- the first with revenues rising sharply and Republicans in total control of the statehouse -- will be notable because it affects Tennesseans on their grocery bills and tuition fees, from those needing job training to those needing subsidized health care. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/23/dems-look-to-restore-funding/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

ALEC shifts legislation drafting focus to economic growth (City Paper/Hale)

In an apparent nod to public pressure and the exodus of corporate members like Coca-Cola and Kraft, the American Legislative Exchange Council last week announced it was getting out of the guns and ballots game. The organization better known as ALEC said it was eliminating its Public Safety and Elections task force in order to sharpen [its] focus on jobs, free markets and growth. Unmentioned was that task forces fundamental involvement in the spate of new voter requirements and gun laws being pushed through state legislatures around the country. As an arm of ALEC, the task force birthed gun legislation like the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground laws, as well as voter-ID requirements, all of which have passed and become law in recent years in Tennessee. The groups brochure definition describes an innocuous effort to advance the principles of free markets and limited government through a public-private partnership. But critics see a shadowy conservative legislation-factory that gives corporations undue power and influence. For $7,000 to $25,000 a year, business interests can obtain a membership with varying degrees of access to legislators and events. State legislators can join for $50 a year and some, in Wisconsin for example, have been caught using taxpayer dollars to pay the fee. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/alec-shifts-legislation-drafting-focus-guns-voter-requirementseconomic-growth

News analysis: Is a property tax increase coming? (City Paper/Garrison)

Wrapping up the mayors budget hearing with the Metro Public Works department, the citys finance director Rich Riebeling had just one more question. Could officials discuss their hopes for future street-paving, sidewalk and bike-lane projects? Theres some big needs in the department capital-wise, Riebeling explained at the event last month, turning to the other two members of Metros Big Three, Mayor Karl Dean himself and Deputy Mayor Greg Hinote. Minutes earlier, Billy Lynch, the loyal head of the public works department, told Deans administration, W e understand tight times. Almost valiantly, he exuded a take-one-for-the-team attitude. We can do our job with what we have. Riebeling, of course, knew the picture Lynch would paint when pressed. The finance director is fully aware that a fall report showed nearly half of Davidson Countys streets are in poor condition, in need of repair following a historic flood two years ago and inadequate funding. Roads, essential to any community, are deteriorating in Nashville. Sure enough, Lynch, the grizzled Metro veteran, went down a litany of needs in striking detail. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/news-analysis-property-taxincrease-coming

Report shows link between money, education and life expectancy (N-S/Nelson)
Some Tenn. counties like third world The average life expectancy of the residents of some Tennessee counties is on par with the life expectancies in some of the healthiest countries Sweden, for example. But in others, residents, on average, don't outlive people in some of the world's poorest African countries or former Russian states. That's the conclusion of a study by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, presented last week at the Association of Health Care Journalists national conference in Atlanta. Institute researchers provided a look at nearly every county in every U.S. state, using death records to track the life expectancy by age, gender and, when possible, by race, from 1989 to 2009. What they found, said Ali Mokdad, a professor of global health with the IHME, were huge disparities, even within single states. In Tennessee, for instance, men living in Franklin, in Williamson County, have an average life expectancy of 78, comparable to the average life expectancy of Swedes. W omen live 82 years on average, similar to women in the Netherlands and New Zealand. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/23/report-shows-link-between-money-education-and/

Congressional candidate Deniston pledges to not take salary (TFP/Carroll)

Matthew Deniston, the only independent candidate in Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District race, said he'll refuse the customary $174,000 congressional salary and work for free if he wins. "I don't need 175 grand," the McDonald, Tenn., resident said. "I sell solar panels, so hopefully I'll sell enough to support myself." Deniston also said that, if he reaches Capitol Hill, he's not sure he'll hire any help -- not a legislative director, not a press secretary, maybe not even an administrative assistant. "I can do everything myself," said Deniston, who co-owns an organic farm in Ooltewah. Deniston, 27, is a soft-spoken U.S. Army veteran who earned an honorable discharge after two tours in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. He considers himself a lifetime soldier who fixes problems, so he sees Congress as a natural next move. He said the military exemplified the "waste, fraud and abuse" he hopes to root out of government. Deniston's political philosophy pings between environmentalism, austerity and libertarianism on social issues. He's personally against abortion but wouldn't prevent anyone from getting one. When asked about gay marriage, he shrugged and said, "It's fine. It's not hurting anybody." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/23/candidate-says-would-not-take-congress-pay/?local

TN seen as likely cyber target (Tennessean/Bewley)

Congress weighs bills to guard against growing online threats Businesses, utilities, government agencies and research organizations in Tennessee will be watching closely this week as Congress considers a slate of bills to combat cyberattacks. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has called cyberattacks the most quickly evolving and most troubling set of threats that her department sees, and technology experts say those threats could hit close to home in Tennessee. The Department of Homeland Security considers the states manufacturers, water processing and chemical plants, nuclear reactors, power grids, banking systems and government facilities as critical infrastructure, meaning cyberattacks on the facilities could jeopardize safety and public health. And cybercriminals from China, Russia and around the world are increasingly targeting U.S. businesses and research organizations as recent attacks on Google and the NASDAQ stock exchange show in an effort to steal intellectual property, experts say. That has spurred congressional lawmakers from both parties to introduce a flurry of bills to crack down on Internet crime but they cant agree on what legislation should look like. Tennessee Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper and Republican Reps. Marsha Blackburn, Chuck Fleischmann and Phil Roe have signed on to legislation that would encourage the intelligence community and private sector to share certain information to better protect computer networks from cyberthreats. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120423/NEWS21/304230036/TN-seen-likely-cyber-target?odyssey=tab| topnews|text|News

Justices to Rule on Role of the States in Immigration (New York Times)

When Georgia passed a law last year authorizing the local police to question and detain illegal immigrants, Darvin Eason felt the impact immediately on his farms here in south Georgia. At the peak of the harvest, many of the Mexican workers he had relied on to pick his blackberries were scared away from the state. Ripe berries fell to the ground uncollected, and Mr. Eason lost $20,000 even though the sections of the law that struck fear in the immigrants had been suspended by federal courts. So Mr. Eason is one of many people across the country who will be watching closely when the Supreme Court hears arguments on Wednesday on the bitterly disputed immigration enforcement law that was passed two years ago in Arizona, inspiring the Georgia statute and similar ones in Alabama, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah. Arizonas law, known as SB 1070, expanded the powers of state police officers to ask about the immigration status of anyone they stop, and to hold those suspected of being illegal immigrants. The law was challenged by the Obama administration, and four of its most contentious provisions were suspended by federal courts. Courts later temporarily blocked other state laws, including the one in Georgia. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/us/states-await-supreme-court-hearing-on-arizona-immigrationlaw.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

Government says Medicare will save $200 billion through 2016 (USA Today)
The government plans to announce today that the 2010 health care law will save Medicare beneficiaries $208 billion through 2020, and save Medicare itself $200 billion through 2016, based on a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services actuary report "We have achieved significant tangible savings that have been passed on to beneficiaries," said Jonathan Blum, director of the Center for Medicare. "There's a tremendous opportunity for even greater savings." Just as important, officials said, private health care providers have moved forward on their own to enact some of the law's provisions. "The real surprise is the tremendous interest in reform," Blum said, adding that they expected savings. "What you can't predict with accuracy is behavior change." A year ago, Blum 4

said, there was animosity toward accountable care organizations or health care teams that worked together for a patient's care but private providers are now taking up the practice on their own. That comes as access to data shows that good care and savings can go together, he said. There has been a "rising tide of commitment" from physicians, hospitals and insurers who are beginning to believe better care can be provided at a lower cost, said Rick Gilfillan, director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. "In some instances, the private sector is leading to improve the way care is delivered." http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-04-23/medicare-health-care-law/54476196/1

States move slowly toward digital textbooks (Stateline)

Digital textbooks have gotten a lot of ink in recent months. In January, Apple attracted attention when it announced its foray into the field with the iBook, a multimedia-rich textbook for the iPad produced by the biggest educational publishers and costing less than $15. The next month Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, unveiled the Obama administrations Digital Learning Playbook, and called for all students to use digital textbooks by 2017. It we want American students to be the best prepared to compete in the 21st century economy, Genachowski said, we cant allow a majority of our students to miss out on the opportunities of digital textbooks. For all the noise nationally, movement to digital has been slow at the state and district level. Digital textbooks still account for only a small fraction of overall textbook sales. Still, several states have enacted changes in recent years to make it easier for districts to go digital and use free material in the classroom thats available digitally. This year, Alabamas legislature is considering a bill that would provide digital textbooks and tablet devices to all high school students, to be paid for with $100 million in bonds. The measure was approved in the House Education Policy committee at the end of February, but hasnt made it to the House floor. http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=646557

Urban League program supports budding entrepreneurs, business owners (Nooga)

The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga is joining forces with other local organizations to support small businesses. Our ultimate goal is to develop a center where we can offer additional resources for entrepreneurs, Nicole Burney, program director of the Urban Leagues Entrepreneur Center, said. The Urban Leagues program is part of a larger, statewide effort to support small businesses. Last year, as part of Gov. Bill Haslams economic development plan, The Company Lab became one of the states nine regional entrepreneurial accelerators. The Company Lab received a $250,000 grant to support the mission. That was part of our application to the state to become a regional acceleratorwe committed to finding ways to support all entrepreneur populations of Southeast Tennessee, Sheldon Grizzle, co-founder of The Company Lab, said. Grizzle said that there are several business development organizationsthe Business Development Center, The Company Lab, LAUNCH and, now, the Urban League in Chattanooga that each have a specific target population. We all have our audiences that come through our doors in very natural and organic ways, he said. http://www.nooga.com/154951/urban-league-program-supports-budding-entrepreneurs-business-owners/

Arizona: Arizona Immigration Law Faces Supreme Court Test (Wall Street Journal)
Arizona's campaign to push out illegal immigrants heads to the Supreme Court this week, in the second major challenge to federal power the justices have taken up in less than a month. The Obama administration argues a 2010 Arizona measure aimed at fighting illegal immigration conflicts with federal law. The state law requires police to check the immigration status of people they stop if suspicious of their right be in the U.S. It also makes it a crime for immigrants without work permits to seek employment. Both of these provisions, among others, have been blocked by federal courts for interfering with federal immigration laws. Even so, the Arizona statute has sparked copycat measures in Alabama and other states. All parties agree immigration is an area of federal supremacy. Last year, the Supreme Court upheld a separate Arizona law putting out of business companies that repeatedly hire illegal immigrants. Over objections from the Obama administration, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and labor groups, the court held 5-3 that Congress had given states authority to strip corporate charters and other essential permits to punish employers for immigration violations. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303978104577359763191050888.html?mod=ITP_pageone_0 (SUBSCRIPTION) 5

Kansas: Urban Center Is Budget Hole (Wall Street Journal)

Kansas City, Mo., Must Set Aside Millions as Complex Falls Short of Projections The tab is mounting for this Midwestern city on a bet it made during the real-estate boom on an $850 million entertainment district meant to breathe new life into its struggling downtown. While the eight-block restaurant, nightclub and retail complex named the Power & Light District is mostly complete, traffic and sales are well below initial projections when construction started in 2006. Such woes are common among real-estate developers who imagined values and rents in a fast-growing U.S. economy would continue to rise for years. But the Power & Light District stands out because it was financed through a technique that seemed like it would pay for itself. Kansas City directed future sales and property taxes in the district to pay back the $295 million in bonds that the city issued for the project, which went toward infrastructure and to directly support the development. In the event there weren't enough taxes, the city agreed to pick up the difference. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304331204577356471425094502.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

OPINION Editorial: Supporting postsecondary education is a good goal (Jackson Sun)

As this week begins in the state Legislature, Senate Bill 3279 on child custody and support is making its way through the legislative process. Its companion House Bill 3468 was passed with 85 votes for and 7 votes against. Our representatives in the House voted for the bill. The bill has been sent to Calendar and Rules in the Senate. Simply stated, the bill allows the court, in its discretion, to order child support for postsecondary education up to age 23. Census Bureau statistics show that Tennessee has the second highest divorce rate in the country, although the recession has slowed that rate down. This bill takes into consideration the effect that divorce has on the future of our children. We now know, or should know, that our children will require a college education to become self-supportive, highly productive members of our state and our nation. Gov. Bill Haslam has made many public statements about the necessity for Tennessee students to have access to college and to reach a level of success if our state is to succeed. The Southwest Tennessee Development Districts REDI College Access Program is a key component of regional initiatives supporting the future of economic development for this region. REDIs intent is to improve access for both youth and adults. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120423/OPINION/304230008/EDITORIAL-Supporting-postsecondaryeducation-good-goal

Editorial: Cherokee National Forest stakeholders reach consensus (NewsSentinel)

Conserving the state's natural resources usually draws strong support, but discussions about how to manage those resources can create sharp divisions. The aim, of course, is to continue talking, keep the health of the resources as a priority, work for consensus and not allow the divisions to control the agenda. That is what a group of stakeholders did recently in developing a reforestation plan for the northern portion of the Cherokee National Forest. Their efforts are a good illustration that concern for Tennessee's forest land cuts across varied interests, and it shows that diverse groups can work out a plan for the common good. Congress should take note. The Cherokee National Forest is a 650,000-acre tract along the border with North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia. It is the largest tract of public land in Tennessee and is divided by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The private stakeholders got together about two and a half years ago at the behest of The Nature Conservancy. The group included environmentalists, sportsmen, loggers and forest managers of several organizations. The group was tasked with finding agreement on how to restore the ecological balance to a large portion of the northern zone of the forest, encompassing about 340,000 acres. That section experienced overlogging about a century ago and currently is threatened by insects and diseases. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/23/editorial-cherokee-national-forest-stakeholders/

Editorial: Focusing on a neglected group (Commercial Appeal)

More Hispanic college graduates: Providing support to encourage Hispanic students to attend college will help area thrive. There is a segment of Greater Memphis' population that is rarely mentioned in discussions about efforts to produce high school graduates who are job or college ready. The area's growing Hispanic population means schools are educating a growing number of Hispanics, many of whom aren't proficient in English. For a 6

variety of reasons, too many members of this group who make it through elementary and high school aren't seeking post-secondary degrees. That's a shame because, like other ethnic groups here, Hispanic students have the potential to help make Greater Memphis a place of innovation, economic development and job group. Last week, it was good to see that more attention is being paid to these students. Memphis Mayor A C W harton helped host a conference to work on the issue of educating young Hispanics. "This is the start of an ongoing effort to focus on populations that have been overlooked," the mayor said. The effort here is being supported by a $600,000 grant over four years from the Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation to improve college attendance and graduation among Hispanics. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/23/editorials-focusing-on-a-neglected-group/ (SUBSCRIPTION) ###