The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, pending approval by the Transport Worker Union, will offer a bonus to employees who do not use all of their sick days. Under the two-year pilot project, employees would qualify for a $350 bonus if they have worked a minimum of 1,880 hours during the fiscal year. Transportation officials believe that the measure can alleviate the staffing shortage at a low cost by decreasing the need for overtime to cover shifts.

The University of Michigan-Flint and the Genesee Intermediate School District have partnered to open a middle college for students interested in the health profession. The new college will allow students to graduate in five years with a high school diploma and half the credits required for a bachelor's degree. Tuition fees will be covered by state funding.

The Hamlets and Villages program in Clackamas County, Oregon, promotes grassroots democracy by encouraging citizens in unincorporated communities to have a say in local affairs. One hundred residents, property, or business owners can apply to the county to form a hamlet; 150 are needed for a village. Hamlets and villages can advise and lobby county commissioners on community issues, but only villages can petition the county for new taxes.

Auburn University in Alabama has equipped its buses with a GPS system that allows students to better manage their time and to be on time for class. Using the internet or a web-enabled cell phone, riders can instantly visualize buses en route and be updated about emergencies and changes of schedule.

Trailers used by displaced residents in the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina are being put to alternative uses under a new federal program. Some trailers are now sheltering those who had no prior access to quality housing or serving as mobile command posts for law enforcement agencies. The federal government spent $2.6 billion buying about 144,000 trailers.

In response to recent food safety scares in the U.S., some members of Congress are considering the establishment of a consolidated federal agency to oversee food safety. Currently, 15 separate agencies share this responsibility. The limited standardization and overlapping oversight of these agencies has hampered their effectiveness. Many regulations governing food safety are also inadequate as they pre-date the importation of large quantities of food and the proliferation of processed foods.

Florida is evaluating the schools and centers that participate in its voter-mandated pre-kindergarten (pre-K) program and making the results available to state residents through an online database. This searchable program scores each pre-K provider based on students' ability to perform a select set of skills, such as recognizing letters. Those providers found to be in the bottom 15 percent for two years will be deemed "low performing" and are subject to strict improvement plans.

Thanks to preservation groups in western New York, visitors to Buffalo will now have a personal audio tour of the city. By dialing from a cell phone (or a land line) or downloading an MP3 file, history buffs can take self-guided tours of 50 historic sites in the city. Other cities have adopted these audio tours; while some charge fees, Buffalo's tours are free.

Some Michigan secondary schools are using trimesters to boost student achievement. While not a new scheduling concept for schools, the three-terms-per-year alternative is being used to help students fit in both mandatory credits and electives. It also gives struggling students a chance to retake a difficult class in the second trimester, instead of waiting until the next year.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is using cutting-edge technology to ensure that beaches in the states of New York and New Jersey will be clean and safe this summer. In collaboration with state and local officials, the EPA is using advanced water-quality tests to identify harmful pathogens and its "Coastal Crusader" helicopter to locate floating debris offshore. In both states, the EPA is funding projects to improve and standardize water-quality systems and to better inform the public about water safety.

Georgia has received a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to create long-term care programs that help people transition out of institutions and back into the community. Under the "Money Follows the Person" grant, Georgia aims to get more than 1,400 elderly and disabled individuals back into their homes or other residences over the course of five years. The goal is to ensure that this funding follows the person to their most preferred and appropriate setting.

In South Africa, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has paired its inspectors with police officers during raids on the homes of suspected gang members and drug-dealers. Once inside, inspectors check for signs of animal abuse, and, with the help of specialized equipment for handling aggressive guard dogs, rescue those who have been mistreated.

Three schools in the Greater Hartford area have been selected to begin a three-year partnership with NASA. As part of NASA Explorer Schools, students will use NASA missions to learn more about science, technology, engineering, mathematics and geography. A team of educators and administrators from the schools will attend a week-long professional development workshop in July and NASA representatives will make presentations at each school during the coming school year. School teams will develop a strategic plan to address their students' needs in mathematics, science, and technology education.

Newsletter produced by: Brendan St. Amant and Vanessa Ruget (researchers and writers); Joellen Secondo (editor).