Megan's Law in New Jersey

NEWSPAPER INVESTIGATION

"Megan's Law registries all over the map in N.J."
Written by: Tom Troncone
Date: Dec 27, 2006
Published by: North Jersey Media Group (The Record and Herald News)

"Statewide, 23 percent of registered sex offenders are included in the Internet database." In some counties in New Jersey, it is as little as 8%.

Mediaskeptic: "The reason, according to a Monmouth County judge who oversees the Megan's Law judges in every county, lies with individual prosecutors' offices. "(That's a distortion of the process. See pages 8-9 of the report linked below for a view of how the judge makes the final decision, and the prosecutor AND the registrant get an input into the decision.) "

The article was based on data from the state's annual Megan's Law implementation report.

Teacher Performance

NEWSPAPER INVESTIGATION

Article: "Report stresses teacher quality" Subhead: "Panel says focusing on educators is best way to improve schools"
Written by: Terrence Stutz
Date: Jan 4, 2007
Published in: WFFA.com from Dallas Morning News

SUMMARY: A report released by the Governor's Business Council outlined a series of recommendations to the Legislature, focused mainly on teacher quality as the best way to improve public schools. The group says 82 percent of Texas graduates are not prepared for college or a good job in the workforce.

[ Sadly, the State Teachers Association spokesman contacted for a quote had little to say about the goals of the council as desirable as they are. It's the mandatory huff quote.

The reporter misses some of the main points in the report that include holding colleges of education accountable for the quality of their graduates, revising certificate programs to demonstrate classroom suitablity skills and proving the teacher has the skills needed in the classroom, giving principals full hiring authority and holding them responsible for the teachers they hire, and a number of other reforms. ]
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No links in the article, but can be found below.
Texans for Excellence in Classroom press release.
Excellence in the Classroom report.

It's a 15-page report and contains a number of reforms that are common sense and acknowledge what those of us who follow education issues have observed.