Detroit's (predominantly black) public schools are the worst in the nation, and it takes some doing to be worse than Washington, D.C. Only 3 percent of Detroit's fourth-graders scored proficient on the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) test, sometimes called "The Nation's Report Card." Twenty-eight percent scored basic and 69 percent below basic. "Below basic" is the NAEP category when students are unable to demonstrate even partial mastery of knowledge and skills fundamental for proficient work at their grade level. It's the same story for Detroit's eighth-graders. Four percent scored proficient, 18 percent basic and 77 percent below basic. Michael Casserly, executive director of the D.C.-based Council on Great City Schools, in an article appearing in Crain's Detroit Business, (12/8/09) titled, "Detroit's Public Schools Post Worst Scores on Record in National Assessment," said, "There is no jurisdiction of any kind, at any level, at any time in the 30-year history of NAEP that has ever registered such low numbers." The academic performance of black students in other large cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles is not much better than Detroit and Washington. ...more

December 26, 2009

Want to keep IRS auditors away? Keep your earnings under $200,000 and they won't bother you 99 percent of the time. ...more

December 23, 2009

The fast start to the season for the Plant City High boys soccer team does not surprise its new head coach. ...more

December 9, 2009

HOW EMPLOYEES ANSWERED Most of the employees who responded were teachers, and most of them overwhelmingly rejected the budget-cutting ideas. The results are percentages and represent whether employees agree/strongly agree or disagree/strongly disagree: ...more

January 17, 2009

When a baseball player hits for power and average, and displays speed on the base paths, he is indeed someone special. ...more

January 11, 2009

The New Moon occurred yesterday at 12:22 p.m. and the day before that, the moon was at its furthest point during its 28 day orbit from the earth. What this means for anglers is, the lack of moonlight during the night hinders fish from feeding at their normal rates--as when they do have moonlight to feed by. However, the regular affects the moon causes on fish when the moon's orbit is closer to the earth, is greatly diminished when it is furthest away. ...more

December 28, 2008

Count Florida among states with a low percentage of deaths from drunken driving. ...more

December 1, 2008

Why Putnam Left Post Re: "That's Not Why I knocked On 20,000 Doors" (Views Nov. 16): ...more

November 19, 2008

Unofficial election results gave incumbent Annie Williams the lead she needed Tuesday night to keep her job as supervisor of elections. ...more

November 5, 2008

Hungry diners craving a Chipotle burrito might soon have to fork over a bit more cash. ...more

September 13, 2008