NEWS: Big Stories Of The Day

Summer school's going online, K12 spending reaches $550B, and districts are starting to use stim dollars:

Stimulus funds used to retrofit buses SD Union Tribune
San Diego Unified has become among the first school districts in the nation using federal stimulus money to retrofit school buses with a pollution control device.

Ala. Gov. Boosts Education Cuts to 11 Percent. EdWeek
Gov. Bob Riley ordered further cutbacks in the state education budget Friday because of declining tax collections and has drawn the last $116 million out of the state's rainy day fund to prevent deeper cuts.

Census: Feds contributed little to schools in 2007 AP
Per pupil spending in public schools varies widely from state to state, but the federal government contributes comparatively little to K-12 education, according to a Census report released Monday....

Summer school students leaving classroom for the Internet Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Online courses have quickly been gaining ground in the state, with several school districts playing host to their own virtual schools and many more providing students the opportunity to take fully computerized courses. But online summer school has been a little slower catching up. There are signs that might be changing.

During School Recess, New Focus on Playing Nice PBS
Recess can be a chaotic, even violent, period during the course of a normal school day. Spencer Michels reports on how one non-profit is showing educators the health, and classroom benefits of teaching students how to play nice.