At Princeton, alumni pride aids No. 1 rank

"We are pleased that our commitment to providing the highest quality undergraduate education continues to be recognized," said Princeton spokeswoman Cass Cliatt. "Still, we feel it's important to note that no formulaic ranking can capture an institution's individual distinctiveness."

But there's no denying that universities benefit from sitting atop the list.

A high ranking generates more applicants to the school, allowing it to be more selective. It bolsters the school's reputation, another factor in the U.S. News list.

"There's a halo effect," says Richard Richardson, a professor of higher education at New York University. "That is, once you are identified as No. 1, people tend to associate you at that level."

And it generates more alumni giving, a key asset for Princeton.

Quality Consultations Speech by Australian Early Education

High quality early childhood education and care programs have a positive effect on children's ability to learn, and on their social development.

Good quality early childhood experiences ease the transition to formal schooling, and have a direct affect on educational, employment and health outcomes.

And we know that disadvantaged children have the most to gain from the benefits of early intervention programs delivered in early childhood education and care settings.

If we continue to ignore this evidence and do nothing, we do so at our own peril. The next generation will inevitably pay the cost of our inaction.

The Status Quo and why it needs to Change

As someone reasonably new to this portfolio, I bring a fresh set of eyes – and sometimes that can be very helpful.

The best teachers deserve rewards

The nation's largest teacher union, the Australian Education Union, has already proposed a scheme to reward experienced teachers which recognises their teaching knowledge and practice.

The union proposal, entitled ''Professional Pay and Quality Teaching for Australia's Future'', says any form of performance-based pay to recognise and encourage professional excellence would need to ''establish a set of professional standards for teaching beyond current processes. Teachers would [need to] be assessed by an independent and fair process and rewarded through salary increases, not one-off cash bonuses'', and ''teachers would be required to demonstrate how their teaching experience and professional development are contributing to the improvement of educational outcomes for students''.

The idea that high-performing teachers should be rewarded for gaining further qualifications in higher education or through rigorous accredited professional learning is hardly radical.

School officials look at funding options

District officials also are considering the big picture of education funding in Nevada. On Monday, School Board members approved a legislative bill draft that, if approved, would create a rainy day fund, or a "stabilization" account, for education.

Joyce Haldeman, associate superintendent for community relations, called the bill a "truth in advertising" measure to protect state funds earmarked for education.

Now, once state officials determine how much to budget for education, excess revenue from taxes dedicated to funding education reverts back to the state's general fund. Haldeman does not deny that the money is then used for worthwhile projects. But the funding is not going toward its intended use, she said.

She said "the guaranteed funding" is, in reality, a "guaranteed cut."

Haldeman said $192 million in excess education funding was returned to the general fund in 2007.

More education needed to curb wildlife crime in Cameroon

More needs to be done to make the local population in Cameroon aware of the legal protection that the country's rare animals are covered by, a conference has been told.The local Post newspaper reported that the ministry of forestry and wildlife organised a workshop that stressed to stakeholders that one of the most effective ways to curb wildlife poaching in the country would be to make more people aware of the relevant laws.What's more, the speakers at the event claimed that the complexity of the country's wildlife laws made it difficult to prosecute people caught poaching.To improve the situation, forestry and wildlife minister Elvis Ngolle Ngolle reportedly told the conference that the relevant laws were already being taught in some academic institutions in the country.The minister stressed that the illegal exploitation of forest resources was a major problem in Cameroon and that the government was permanently engaged in efforts to curb poaching.Recently, the US ambassador to the west African nation warned that poaching was a serious problem.Janet Garvey said that it was deeply "worrying" that the illegal killing of rare animals appeared to be increasing at the moment in Cameroon.Help IAR save animals from suffering around the world.News brought to you by International Animal Rescue, saving animals from suffering around the world.