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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Study gives Catholic schools poor marks

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Oct-2013

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Contact: Andy Henion
henion@msu.edu
517-355-3294
Michigan State University

EAST LANSING, Mich. A national study led by a Michigan State University economist suggests Catholic schools are not superior to public schools after all.

Math scores for Catholic students dropped between kindergarten and eighth grade, while math scores for public school students increased slightly. In addition, Catholic students saw no significant increase in reading scores or better behavioral outcomes between kindergarten and eighth grade.

"Across many outcomes, both academic and behavioral, we don't find anything that seems to point to a real benefit of Catholic schools over public schools," said Todd Elder, MSU associate professor of economics.

There are more than 2 million students in 6,700 Catholic schools in the United States, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.

The study, published in the Journal of Urban Economics, is the first to examine test scores starting in kindergarten. Results from the first national standardized tests in math and reading taken just weeks after the start of kindergarten show that Catholic school students perform much better on average than public school students.

That huge gap is likely due to higher socioeconomic status for families who send their children to Catholic schools, Elder said. "What you see is that the kids who go to Catholic schools are much, much different the day they walk in the door than the kids who go to public schools."

But if Catholic schools were truly better, as past research implies, that achievement gap would widen as the students progressed through school and it doesn't, in either math or reading, Elder said. In fact, when it comes to math scores, the public school students closed the gap considerably by the eighth grade.

"That's the shocking finding," Elder said.

While previous research has noted that Catholic school students generally outperform public students academically, it has missed the point that Catholic students essentially start off in kindergarten with an advantage that has nothing to do with the schooling itself, he said.

One possible explanation for lower Catholic school achievement is that Catholic school teachers typically make less than public teachers. The study notes that in 2008, private elementary school teachers had an average salary of $35,730 compared to $51,660 in public schools a 45 percent difference.

"Some people say Catholic schools are doing more with less," Elder said. "But these findings suggest they're not doing more with less that they may, in fact, be doing less with less."

Another possible explanation is that public schools have better designed curriculum, the study says.

Elder analyzed the data of about 7,000 students who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Kindergarten Class of 1998-99. The students were surveyed in kindergarten, first grade, third grade, fifth grade and eighth grade.

In addition to math and reading scores, the study looked at behavioral outcomes and other factors including absences, suspensions, tardiness and repeating grades. "Taken together," the study says, "the estimates in this paper do not point to any beneficial effects of Catholic primary schooling."

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Study gives Catholic schools poor marks

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Oct-2013

[

| E-mail

]

Share
Contact: Andy Henion
henion@msu.edu
517-355-3294
Michigan State University

EAST LANSING, Mich. A national study led by a Michigan State University economist suggests Catholic schools are not superior to public schools after all.

Math scores for Catholic students dropped between kindergarten and eighth grade, while math scores for public school students increased slightly. In addition, Catholic students saw no significant increase in reading scores or better behavioral outcomes between kindergarten and eighth grade.

"Across many outcomes, both academic and behavioral, we don't find anything that seems to point to a real benefit of Catholic schools over public schools," said Todd Elder, MSU associate professor of economics.

There are more than 2 million students in 6,700 Catholic schools in the United States, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.

The study, published in the Journal of Urban Economics, is the first to examine test scores starting in kindergarten. Results from the first national standardized tests in math and reading taken just weeks after the start of kindergarten show that Catholic school students perform much better on average than public school students.

That huge gap is likely due to higher socioeconomic status for families who send their children to Catholic schools, Elder said. "What you see is that the kids who go to Catholic schools are much, much different the day they walk in the door than the kids who go to public schools."

But if Catholic schools were truly better, as past research implies, that achievement gap would widen as the students progressed through school and it doesn't, in either math or reading, Elder said. In fact, when it comes to math scores, the public school students closed the gap considerably by the eighth grade.

"That's the shocking finding," Elder said.

While previous research has noted that Catholic school students generally outperform public students academically, it has missed the point that Catholic students essentially start off in kindergarten with an advantage that has nothing to do with the schooling itself, he said.

One possible explanation for lower Catholic school achievement is that Catholic school teachers typically make less than public teachers. The study notes that in 2008, private elementary school teachers had an average salary of $35,730 compared to $51,660 in public schools a 45 percent difference.

"Some people say Catholic schools are doing more with less," Elder said. "But these findings suggest they're not doing more with less that they may, in fact, be doing less with less."

Another possible explanation is that public schools have better designed curriculum, the study says.

Elder analyzed the data of about 7,000 students who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Kindergarten Class of 1998-99. The students were surveyed in kindergarten, first grade, third grade, fifth grade and eighth grade.

In addition to math and reading scores, the study looked at behavioral outcomes and other factors including absences, suspensions, tardiness and repeating grades. "Taken together," the study says, "the estimates in this paper do not point to any beneficial effects of Catholic primary schooling."

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/msu-sgc103113.php
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Spirit Airlines mulls tying fees to flight demand

NEW YORK (AP) — The complex world of airlines fees might soon get even more confusing.

The fees fliers pay to check a suitcase or pick a more desirable seat might soon become much more complicated and costly.

Spirit Airlines is considering tying the fees passengers pay to check a suitcase or pick a more desirable seat to demand. On a peak travel day, for instance, the fees could be much higher. Passengers who booked a Spirit flight for this holiday season can relax however — the changes are months away, if they happen at all.

The changes could benefit passengers as well. Someone flying on a slow Tuesday afternoon, for example, might catch a break on price. Spirit did not say how much the fees could change.

Spirit's bag fees already vary in price depending on how early customers choose to pay: $30 for the first bag when buying a ticket online or prior to check-in, $35 starting 24 hours before the flight at online check-in or $45 at the airport.

CEO Ben Baldanza told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday that during peak days there sometimes isn't enough room in the belly of the plane for all the bags. Other days, there are only two or three checked suitcases. Clearly, he said, that shows the airline isn't pricing its extra services correctly.

"This is something we've been thinking about for a while," Baldanza said. "It's not a foregone conclusion."

The low-cost carrier based in Miramar, Fla. is one of the few airlines that charge a fee to select any seat — window, middle or aisle — in advance. It also charges extra for water, to place a bag in the overhead bin and to have an agent print a boarding pass at the airport.

Baldanza said lower prices for seat assignments on a slow day might induce more people to buy. It will also make the online seat map appear fuller, causing more passengers to pay extra to avoid middle seats near the back. "If you look at seat map that is empty, you are less likely to buy," Baldanza noted. The price might be lower, but Spirit could ultimately take in more revenue with a higher volume of sales.

Airlines have priced tickets this way for the past three decades. The more demand for a particular flight — say one on the Sunday after Thanksgiving — the higher the price will be. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines already price some seats with extra legroom at different levels based on the demand for that flight. No airline currently does that with luggage fees.

Baldanza said his company needs time, if it moves forward with the changes, to update its technology and inform passengers.

"It's not just something we can snap our fingers and do tomorrow," he said.

Scott Mayerowitz can be reached at http://twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spirit-airlines-mulls-tying-fees-flight-demand-213157679--finance.html
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'Zombies' swarm Tokyo Tower in Halloween stunt

TOKYO (AP) — A zombie swarm in Tokyo? Why not, it's Halloween.

Led by a former sumo grand champion, about 1,000 beauty schools students and Halloween fun-seekers descended on Tokyo Tower — the Japanese capital's most iconic landmark — on Thursday in a "zombie attack" organized by Fox International Channels, Japan, to mark the beginning in the country of Season 4 of the popular TV show "The Walking Dead."

Replete with black eyes, blood-soaked clothes and enough open wounds to fill several emergency rooms, the "zombies" covered the grounds of the tower in central Tokyo after making their way across town on buses and trains — much to the surprise of unsuspecting onlookers.

Halloween is popular in Japan, and Tokyo's subways are often crowded with partygoers in full costume on Halloween night.

"Our only concern is that somebody might see all these zombies and have a heart attack," said Dan Smith, a Fox producer who thought up the stunt.

Leading the zombie charge was Chad Rowan, who is famous in Japan under his sumo name, Akebono. Rowan, who is now a pro wrestler, is the first foreigner to reach sumo's highest rank and stands 203 centimeters tall (6-foot-8).

"It's great to be doing this in Tokyo," said Rowan, who was dressed in black and had his face made up to look like he had two large gashes on his forehead. "It's so unusual to be able to do something like this here."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zombies-swarm-tokyo-tower-halloween-stunt-085925265.html
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UK hacking prosecutor: Brooks, Coulson had affair

Andy Coulson arrives at The Old Bailey law court in London, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. Former News of the World national newspaper editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson went on trial Monday, along with several others, on charges relating to the hacking of phones and bribing officials while they were employed at the now closed tabloid paper. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie Brooks arrive at The Old Bailey law court in London, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. Former News of the World national newspaper editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson went on trial Monday, along with several others, on charges relating to the hacking of phones and bribing officials while they were employed at the now closed tabloid paper. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Former News of The World news editor Ian Edmondson arrives at The Old Bailey law court in London, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. Former News of the World national newspaper editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson went on trial Monday, along with several others, on charges relating to the hacking of phones and bribing officials while they were employed at the now closed tabloid paper. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Former Royal Editor Clive Goodman arrives at The Old Bailey law court in London, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. Former News of the World national newspaper editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson went on trial Monday, along with several others, on charges relating to the hacking of phones and bribing officials while they were employed at the now closed tabloid paper. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

LONDON (AP) — In a blockbuster declaration at Britain's phone hacking trial, a prosecutor said two of Rupert Murdoch's former senior tabloid executives — Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, later a top aide to Prime Minister David Cameron — had an affair lasting at least six years.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis made the disclosure Thursday during Coulson's and Brooks' trial on phone hacking and other charges, the first major criminal case to go to court in the hacking saga that has shaken Britain's political, judicial and media elite.

Brooks, Coulson and six other people are now on trial, including Brooks' current husband Charles. All deny the various charges against them, which range from phone hacking to bribing officials for scoops to obstructing police investigations.

Edis said the relationship between Brooks and Coulson was relevant to the hacking case because it showed they trusted one another and shared intimate information.

"Throughout the relevant period, what Mr. Coulson knew Mrs. Brooks knew, and what Mrs. Brooks knew Mr. Coulson knew," Edis said.

Edis said the affair began in 1998 and lasted about six years. If his timeline is correct, the affair ended before Coulson became Cameron's top communications director, which began after Cameron's election in 2010. Coulson started working for Cameron in 2007, when Cameron became leader of Britain's Conservative opposition party.

The affair covered the period when Brooks was the top editor of Murdoch's News of the World tabloid and Coulson was her deputy. Brooks edited the paper from 2000 to 2003, then went on to edit its sister paper, The Sun, and later became the chief executive of Murdoch's British newspaper division. Coulson edited the News of the World from 2003 to 2007.

The affair covered the crucial period in 2002 when the News of the World hacked the phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler. Brooks has long denied knowing about that hacking. When the Dowler hacking case became public in 2011, the outrage in Britain was so great that Murdoch shut down the 168-year-old paper.

Edis said a February 2004 letter from Brooks showed there was "absolute confidence between the two of them in relation to all the problems at their work." He said the letter appeared to have been written by Brooks in response to Coulson's attempt to end the relationship.

"You are my very best friend. I tell you everything. I confide in you, I seek your advice," Brooks wrote, according to Edis. "Without our relationship in my life I am really not sure I will cope."

Edis said the affair was uncovered when police searched a computer found at Brooks' home in 2011 as part of the hacking investigation.

It's not clear whether the letter was ever sent.

Brooks married soap-opera star Ross Kemp in 2002. They later divorced and she married horse trainer Charles Brooks in 2009.

In his opening arguments Thursday, Edis said News of the World journalists, with consent from the tabloid's top editors, colluded to hack the phones of politicians, royalty, celebrities and even rival reporters in a "frenzy" to get scoops.

He said the "dog-eat-dog" environment led to routine lawbreaking that was sanctioned by those in charge of the Murdoch-owned tabloid: editors Rebekah Brooks and Coulson.

Jurors were shown email exchanges involving private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and News of the World news editor Ian Edmondson — one of the defendants — detailing the 2006 hacking of former government minister Tessa Jowell, royal family member Frederick Windsor and one-time Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who was the subject of a major kiss-and-tell story from a mistress.

Mulcaire also hacked the phones of two journalists at the rival Mail on Sunday tabloid who were working on their own story about the Prescott affair, the prosecutor said.

"In the frenzy to get the huge story ... that's what you do," Edis said.

Edis also played a recording of Mulcaire "blagging" — seeking information about a voicemail password from a service provider using a false name. He said Mulcaire — an "accomplished" blagger and hacker — made the recording himself, and also recorded some of the voicemails he hacked.

The prosecutor said the emails, the recordings and pages from Mulcaire's notebooks provided "very clear evidence" of hacking so widespread that senior editors must have known about it.

Edis said Mulcaire was paid almost 100,000 pounds a year under a contract that started in 2001 and ended when he was arrested in 2006 for hacking the phones of royal aides. He and the tabloid's royal editor Clive Goodman were briefly jailed and for years, Murdoch's media company maintained that hacking had been limited only to that pair.

That claim was demolished when the Dowler case became public in 2011. Murdoch's company has since paid millions in compensation to scores of people whose phones were hacked.

Rebekah Brooks, Coulson, Edmondson and former managing editor Stuart Kuttner all deny charges of phone hacking. The trial is expected to last roughly six months.

Mulcaire has pleaded guilty, along with three former News of the World news editors.

Edis said there are few records of what Mulcaire was paid to do by the newspaper, but that senior editors must have known of his illicit activity.

"The question is, did nobody ever ask, 'What are we paying this chap for?'" he said. "Somebody must have decided that what he was doing was worth an awful lot of money. Who was that?"

He said Rebekah Brooks, who edited the News of the World when Mulcaire was put on retainer "was actively involved in financial management" and sent editors stern emails about keeping costs down.

Under Coulson, who succeeded her as editor, Mulcaire's fee was increased to 2,019 pounds a week.

Edis said there was no evidence that Mulcaire's fees were ever questioned.

"You would question it — unless you knew all about it," Edis said.

___

Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-10-31-Britain-Phone%20Hacking/id-66303238c6c447bdb1812e09c2c680b8
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McIlroy leads by two after Mickelson woe in Shanghai

Shanghai (AFP) - Rory McIlroy found himself leading a golf tournament for the first time since May as he took control of the World Golf Championships HSBC Champions with a superbly crafted seven-under par round of 65 in Shanghai Thursday.

The 24-year-old was helped by world number three Phil Mickelson blowing up in disastrous fashion on the long eighth hole, the 17th of his round, as the American found the Sheshan Golf Club water twice en route to a quadruple-bogey nine.

Moments earlier McIlroy had carded his eighth birdie of the day on the same hole to move to seven under. Mickelson then bogeyed his last hole, the ninth, to drop five shots in two holes and plummet from outright second to tied 28th in the 78-man field with a 71.

On Wednesday McIlroy had said he was capable of winning the tournament with the way the course was set up.

On Thursday he proved it was no idle boast as his swagger and, more importantly, his short game returned to leave a field containing 40 of the world's top 50 in his wake.

The last time McIlroy had even held a share of the lead was after the first round of the Wells Fargo Open at Quail Hollow on May 2.

He leads by two from Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who carried on his fine form from last week when he won the BMW Masters across the city, by carding a five-under round of 67.

Also on 67 was Jamie Donaldson of Wales.

Back on four-under are the English pair Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. They were joined on that mark by two Americans, Bubba Watson and US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Jordan Spieth.

But it was McIlroy's day. The revival he had threatened, with a second place in the Korea Open a fortnight ago and a solid performance -- tee to green at least -- last week at Lake Malaren, at last materialised.

His confidence buoyed by an exhibition match victory over Tiger Woods on Monday in Hainan, McIlroy got off to the best possible start on his opening hole, the 10th.

Having just seen playing partner and US PGA champion Jason Dufner hole his second shot with a sand wedge for an outrageous eagle two, McIlroy almost matched it with a lob wedge of his own -- leaving a tap-in for the first of seven birdies in his opening 11 holes.

His only blemish of a near flawless card -- McIlroy afterwards modestly gave his own ball striking just seven out of 10 -- came at the 11th when the Northern Irishman was plugged after driving into a fairway bunker.

He was forced to advance the ball just 20 yards but still almost saved par with a seven-iron to 15 feet. However, the putt just slipped by.

He got the shot back straightaway at the 225-yard par three 12th when he rolled in a 20-footer for birdie and never looked back.

Birdies followed at 14, 16 and 18 to get to four-under at the turn, and then McIlroy hit what he described as one of his "shots of the day" on the first.

A rare errant drive found deep rough on the right but he struck a nine-iron imperiously from 160 yards to 12 feet and holed the putt.

Another birdie on the long par-five next hole, where he was just short of the green after a driver and a three-iron, took him to six under, until a final birdie at the eighth gave him daylight on the field.

"It was very good," a smiling McIlroy told AFP straight after his round. "And it was needed."

McIlroy this time last year was world and European number one.

He now lies 62nd in the Race to Dubai standings and must record a good finish this week to guarantee being among the top 60 who qualify for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in two weeks' time. McIlroy is defending champion there.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mickelson-heads-star-cast-asias-major-005447937--golf.html
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The Jonas Brothers: We’re Done… For Now

It’s been a tumultuous time for the Jonas Brothers and their fans, and now Nick, Joe, and Kevin have come to a conclusion regarding the future of the band.

The “Burnin Up” rockers told People that they won’t continue making music together, following the cancellation of their fall tour.

Kevin Jonas explained, “It’s over for now.” “It’s really hard to say ‘forever.’ We’re closing a chapter, for sure,” continued Nick.

And Joe, who has been rumored to be going through drug addiction drama, added in, “It was a unanimous decision.”

On October 3rd, Nick confessed to the others that he just wasn’t bought in to the gig anymore. "I was feeling kind of trapped. I needed to share my heart with my brothers."

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/jonas-brothers/jonas-brothers-we%E2%80%99re-done%E2%80%A6-now-1068149
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NY bus driver saves woman from jumping off bridge

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A bus driver is being hailed as a hero for preventing a woman from jumping off a Buffalo highway overpass.

About 20 McKinley High School students had just stepped aboard Darnell Barton's Metro bus Oct. 18 when he spotted a woman who had climbed over a guardrail and stood leaning over the afternoon traffic zipping along the Scajaquada Expressway below.

With cars and an occasional pedestrian continuing to pass by her, Barton wasn't sure at first that the woman was in distress.

He stopped his bus, opened the door and asked if she needed help, at that moment conflicted between the rules of his job, which required him to call his dispatcher, and his training as a former volunteer firefighter and member of the Buffalo Special Police, which told him that if he made contact, he shouldn't break it.

"It was an interesting situation, knowing what you know and knowing what you have to do," he said by phone Wednesday. "Dispatch picked up. I remember giving my location and saying, 'Send the authorities, this young lady needs help' and then dashing the phone down."

The bus video system captures Barton, 37, leaving the bus and the 20-something woman looking back at him. Her gaze then returns to the traffic below.

"That's when I went and put my arms around her," said Barton, a father of two. "I felt like if she looked down at that traffic one more time it might be it."

With the woman in a bear hug, Barton asked if she wanted to come back over the rail. She hadn't spoken up to that point but said yes.

The video shows Barton tenderly helping her climb back over the guardrail and sit down. Then he sits next to her on the concrete. He asked her name and other questions to distract her, he said, learning she was a student.

"Then she said, 'You smell good,'" he said.

A corrections officer and a female driver who'd been behind the bus came to help, speaking to the woman until police and an ambulance arrived.

"While I was holding her, listening to their questions, I just prayed," the bus driver said. "Whatever was on her mind, it had her. It really, really had her."

When the ambulance drove away, Barton got back on his bus — and received a standing ovation from the high school students and other passengers who'd been watching through the windows. He finished his route, wrote up a report and went home.

"Being the humble individual that Darnell is, he didn't write it in a way that was going to call attention to himself," said C. Douglas Hartmayer, spokesman for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority. "It was: I did it, got back on my bus and continued. That speaks volumes about his demeanor and character."

Barton wishes he could speak with the woman again to make sure she's OK.

"Things like this put what's important in perspective," he said. "You hug your kids a little tighter, kiss your wife a little bit longer. You're grateful.

"Things may not be perfect," he said, "but as we say, they're a little bit of all right."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-bus-driver-saves-woman-jumping-off-bridge-194128546.html
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