McREL Rural E-News
September/October 2007

HEADLINES

Research Headlines

Resources & Events

McREL in the News

Report Roundup

RESEARCH HEADLINES

1. Report: Segregation in U.S. schools is increasing Washington Post
Public schools in the United States are becoming increasingly segregated as population growth among minorities outpaces that of non-minorities. This trend toward resegregation may soon be accelerated due to a recent Supreme Court ruling which limits many voluntary efforts to integrate schools.

2. What makes a good leader: The assertiveness quotient Science Daily
Assertiveness plays an important role in leadership abilities, but not always in the way people might think. While it is true that leaders who are less assertive are viewed as ineffective leaders, it is also true that excessive assertive behavior also reflects poor leadership. Leaders must find the right balance to ensure they can achieve their goals and deliver results without being insufferable or choking off relationships.

3. International study ranks U.S. education Education Week
A new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Paris) finds that, although United States teachers tend to work longer hours than teachers in other countries, they are among the lowest paid relative to the Gross Domestic Product of their countries. In addition, while the United States spends more on prekindergarten education, we have one of the lowest preschool participation rates of the leading economic countries. 

4. SAT scores dip slightly in a more diverse field New York Times
Average reading and math scores on the SAT test dropped again this year, with reading scores reaching a 13-year low. However, there is some good news. Much of the decrease in average scores comes from the fact that more people are taking the SAT than ever before, particularly among minority students. While declining test scores is nothing to be proud of, the indication is that more students are expressing an interest in secondary education, which is an encouraging trend.

5. National report card shows big gains in math Stateline.org
Across the country, regardless of economic or racial backgrounds, students are performing better on the NAEP tests than they ever have before. Math scores, in particular, are at record highs this year.

6. Report: Schools aren't preparing kids for college eSchool News
Many people believe that graduating from high school means that a student is ready to enter college. Colleges and businesses, on the other hand, feel that most high school graduates do not have the skills they need to move into the next phase of their life, according to a recent panel discussion convened by the Alliance for Excellence in Education.

RESOURCES & EVENTS

7. College Navigator National Center for Education Statistics
College Navigator is a free consumer information tool designed to help students, parents, high school counselors, and others get information about nearly 7,000 postsecondary institutions in the United States. It offers a wide range of information such as programs offered, retention and graduation rates, prices, aid available, degrees awarded, campus safety, and accreditation.

8. McREL seeks participants for vocabulary program study McREL
McREL is looking for up to 50 elementary schools from across the U.S. to participate in a two-year study of Steck Vaughn’s Elements of Reading: Vocabulary program. Data will be collected from two groups of students, ranging from kindergarten to fourth grade, and participating teachers will receive stipends for their time and effort. Schools must have student populations with 40 percent or more students receiving free or reduced lunches. For more information, contact Dr. Helen Apthorp, principal researcher at McREL, via e-mail or by phone at (303) 632-5622.

9. McREL pre-conference sessions at T+L National School Boards Association
McREL staff members will present pre-conference sessions at the T+L conference in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 17–19. Presented by the National School Boards Association (NSBA), T+L provides a truly unique learning experience for teams of technology directors, superintendents, school board members, district administrators, principals, and lead teachers. This year, McREL will be presenting two pre-conference sessions on Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works.

10. From Research to Results: Leveraging Leadership and the Accreditation Process AdvancED
This professional development opportunity, offered in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 18-19, combines McREL’s research and expertise in leadership and change management with AdvancED’s District Accreditation Process. District teams will engage in discussion and use tools that are focused on leadership and change management challenges facing their districts.

11. Colorado Charter Schools Conference: Mapping the Way Toward Social Impact
Colorado League of Charter Schools
McREL Principal Consultant Jackie Kearns Barber will be presenting two sessions on McREL’s Balanced Leadership Framework on November 1–2.

12. McREL presents at NSTA Denver National Science Teachers Association
The Western Area Conference of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will be held in Denver Nov. 8-10. Several McREL staff members are presenting, including Lead Consultant Anne Tweed, former president of NSTA, who will present sessions on "Classroom Discourse: Developing Understanding;" "Teaching Reading in Science;" and, with McREL Principal Consultant Bj Stone, a short course on Formative Assessment. John Ristvey, a principal consultant on McREL’s Education & Public Outreach team, will present on "Space Technology for the Physical Science Classroom," Dwarf Planets, and Nanotechnology. Elizabeth Ross Hubbell, McREL senior consultant, will present on "Leveraging Technology for Science Inquiry: Research-based Instructional Strategies."

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