Virginia Elementary School Students Struggle in Reading Assessment

Virginia's fourth- and eighth-graders perform better in reading and mathematics than their peers nationwide, but less than two-fifths have a solid grasp of reading and less than half have a solid grasp of math.

According to National Assessment of Educational Progress results released Tuesday, 36 percent of public school eighth-graders achieved at least ``proficient'' reading scores in 2011, compared to 32 percent in 2009. Among fourth-graders, 39 percent achieved proficient scores on the federal standardized tests, compared to 38 percent in 2009.

In math, 40 percent of Virginia eighth-graders achieved proficient scores in 2011, up from 36 percent in 2009, according to the report. Forty-six percent of fourth-graders performed at the proficient level, compared to 43 percent in 2009.

Nationally, 32 percent of eighth-graders and 32 percent of fourth-graders demonstrated proficiency in reading, and 37 percent of eighth-graders and 39 percent of fourth-graders demonstrated proficiency in math.

Proficiency is defined as solid academic performance at grade level, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter.

The tests, also known as ``the nation's report card,'' are considered the best gauge of public schools' student performance in core subjects.

A lack of significant improvement in Virginia's eighth-grade NAEP reading scores over the last couple testing cycles as well as on state achievement tests has informed state efforts to pursue more rigorous standards in the subject, Department of Education spokesman Charles Pyle said. The new reading standards will take effect in 2012-13.

      

Acknowledging that more than half of Virginia's public school students still lack a solid understanding of math and reading, Pyle said: ``We want those percentages to be higher.''

NAEP's definition of proficiency, he said, is ``much different than on a state accountability test'' such as Virginia's Standards of Learning. ``It's more of an aspirational standard, where we want our students to be.''

But Virginia's public school students have improved their performance since the state implemented its SOL system in the late 1990s, Pyle said, and their NAEP results ``compare very well with students in other states and nationwide.''

Trick or Treater Robbed of Candy

A 12-year-old boy who was trick-or-treating was punched and robbed of his candy in Carlsbad Monday night by people wearing masks, according to Carlsbad Police Department.

One Halloween night, between three and five men pulled up to the boy in a 4-door vehicle. The boy was close to his home on Corvidae Street near Calidris Lane, according to police.

One of the men assaulted the boy by punching him in the throat and chest, taking the boy's candy. The assailants then fled the scene.

Police do not know exactly how many people were involved. The car used by the suspects is described as older with potentially tinted windows and possibly a primer-gray color.

Police also are unsure if the boy was alone or with people when the attack occurred.

Rahm Budget Ax Leads to Homeless Cab Snafu

The head of Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services got herself into some hot water Monday when she tried to explain away a Rahm Emanuel budget move.

Commissioner Evelyn Diaz, speaking before the Chicago City Council, said $2.4 million in cuts to a city program that provided transportation to shelters for the city's homeless wouldn't be all that devastating. Emanuel's budget eliminated the 24 positions that provided the service.

The Sun Times first reported the incident: 

Diaz was asked what would happen this winter without the overnight shift. How were homeless Chicagoans — many of them suffering from alcohol, substance abuse and mental health problems — supposed to get to emergency shelters overnight? Were they supposed to just hang tough until 8 a.m?

“If they can’t find another alternative,” she said.

Asked to identify an alternative, Diaz said, “Public transportation, cabs.”

The firestorm started after a reporter suggested homeless couldn't afford cabs.

A department spokeswoman followed up on the question saying they could take advantage of a program in partnership with the American Red Cross that provides free cab vouchers to victims of fire.

It remains unclear how homeless men and women could take advantage of the vouchers.

Mark Zuckerberg: Screw Up More, Stay Where You Are

Facebook Co-Founder Mark Zuckerberg stopped by the Y Combinator's Startup School for a rare interview over the weekend, and pretty much everything he had to say is of value to entrepreneurs starting out today.

One of the biggest things he hammered on, though, was why you don't need to move to Silicon Valley to start a tech-based company. In fact, Zuckerberg says if he were starting Facebook today, he'd have stayed in Boston.

But still, he has no regrets: He also predicts if he had stayed in Boston back when Facebook actually started, it probably would've crumbled. "I knew nothing, so I had to be out here," Zuckerberg said. "If you're a beginner and you don't know anything about this stuff, it's actually an excellent place to be because a lot of the stuff that you wouldn't understand how to do on your own, like I didn't, I could just get help from a lot of other people."

Regardless of where your business is located, though, Zuckerberg says one of the biggest mistakes you can make is "mess[ing] up by moving too slowly and trying to be too precise... in a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy where you're guaranteed to fail is not taking any risks and not changing anything. [But] you have to take risks."

To clarify, those should be calculated risks, but his point is that you should take risks, period. "The people who are making the product decisions [should] also understand all the technical trade-offs," he added.

Really, all of it's good stuff. Check out the video of his interview over at justin.tv. Zuckerberg's section starts around the 44-minute mark.

Sterling Dentist Paying Kids to Hand Over Halloween Candy

Did your kids strike the motherlode Monday night while out trick-or-treating? 

A lot of children around the area did.  If you don't want them eating all of that candy and putting themselves in a sugar coma, you might be able to convince them to get rid of it, and make a little money in the process. 

Cascades Center for Dental Health in Sterling, Virginia is collecting all that junk food.  For every pound of sweets kids bring in, the dental center will give them a dollar. 

Kids will also get a goody bag that includes a flashing firefly toothbrush, and they are entered in a contest to win a new iPod. 

You don't have to worry about wasting that candy either.  The dental office is donating it all to our troops overseas, as part of Operation Gratitude.  The Cascades Center says it's a win-win situation, since they are rewarding kids for laying off the sweets, while giving back to the community. 

Last year, they sent over 600 pounds of candy to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This year, they hope to send even more.  If you or your kids want to take part, just drop off your candy at 46302 McClellan Way, in Sterling, today. 

They will be accepting donations between 3 and 7 pm.  If you have any questions, you can give them a call at 703-444-5095, or go to cascadesdental.com.

Worthington Hotel GM Named Chairman of Fort Worth CVB

A new chariman has been hired to attract businessess and tourists to Cowtown.

Bob Jameson has been elected chairman of the board of directors for the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Star-Telegram reports.

James is no stranger to Fort Worth.  He has served on the board for nearly 20 years and is the general manager of the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in downtown Fort Worth.

Jameson replaces Johnny Campbell, who has been the chairman for the last four years.

Corzine Firm Violated Customer Cash Rules: CME Group

MF Global, the securities firm led by former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine, broke rules requiring it to keep clients' money and company funds in separate accounts, the head of the Chicago Mercantile exchange said Tuesday.

CME Group Inc. CEO Craig Donohue says MF Global Holdings Ltd. was "not in compliance" with requirements set by his company and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, its key regulator.

"While we are unable to determine the precise scope of the firm's violation at this time, we are investigating the circumstances of the firm's failure," Donohue said in a conference call about his company's quarterly financial results.

MF Global filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, after a big bet on European debt threatened to topple it. Regulators said they have discovered shortfalls in some of the firm's customer accounts.

Companies regulated by the CFTC must account for clients' money and investments separately from money and investments belonging to the company.

Corzine, a former New Jersey governor and chief of Goldman Sachs, prompted MF Global to make more trades for the company's own profits, a practice known as proprietary trading. He pushed for the $6.3 billion bet on debt issued by Italy, Spain and other European nations with troubled economies that ultimately doomed the company.

The CFTC said in September that MF Global was overvaluing some of its European debt investments. It required the company to raise more cash, according to court papers filed on Monday.

MF Global reported its biggest ever quarterly loss last week, mainly because of losses on proprietary trading. Credit rating agencies downgraded the company's bonds to junk status, and business partners demanded that it put up more cash to guarantee its trades. The result was a severe cash crunch that forced MF Global into bankruptcy court.

Debt from many European nations has lost value in recent months because bond investors fear one or more countries might default. Fears about MF Global's possible losses spooked investors on Monday.