McRel Rural E-News, March 2008

1. Less improvement seen in secondary schools using TAP Education Week (Subscription Required)
The first independent examination of the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), conducted by the National Center on Performance Incentives found that the benefits of TAP programs vary by grade level. Although elementary schools enrolled in TAP perform better than other schools, the middle and high schools enrolled in the program actually fall behind non-TAP schools in test score gains.

2. Kids' board games help to build math skills, study finds Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A new study from Carnegie Mellon University suggests that certain board games may provide an inexpensive way to help teach children about mathematics.

3. English as a proficient language The Oregonian
By changing the way they approach teaching English-language learners (ELLs), Oregon schools were able to more than double the number of ELLs able to demonstrate fluency in English. Rather than passively trying to immerse ELL students in English-language classes, Oregon schools are actively teaching English grammar and language rules.

4. Smaller classes don't close learning gap, study finds Washington Post
A Northwestern University study finds that small classes don't have as much effect on student achievement as previously believed. The study found that only already high achievers tended to benefit from reduced class sizes (increasing the average achievement scores), but that the achievement gap within a given class was unaffected by reducing the classroom size.

5. Schools don't do enough to help kids get into 4-year colleges, study says Chicago Tribune
A new study, From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College, from the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago found that teachers and school culture had a greater impact on students' decisions to attend a four-year college than parents did. Although 95 percent of the students in the study wanted to attend college, only 59 percent applied and 41 percent actually enrolled, suggesting that high schools need to do a better job of helping students through the application and enrollment process.

6. Teacher salary disparity growing, Economic Policy Institute report says The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio)
A new report from the Economic Policy Institute suggests that teachers are paid 15 percent less than other professionals with similar education and experience. The study took into account the shorter work year for teachers and the value of their health insurance and pension benefits.

7. Calling physics teachers: Field test a Dawn content module
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/McREL
Would you like to field test a module that engages students with real-life applications of physics concepts? The Ion Propulsion module is aligned to the National Science Education Standards "Structure and Properties of Matter" standards for students in grades 9�12 and contains an interactive simulation in which students design their own ion engine.

Ion Propulsion is ready for field-testing during the Spring 2008 or Fall 2008 semesters. All materials have been thoroughly reviewed and modified based on pilot-test results. Field-test participants will use and provide additional feedback on these innovative supplemental science materials.

8. Science teacher education for Hispanic English-Language Learners in the Southeast (SHELLS)
Researchers, higher education faculty members, state department of education personnel, teachers, administrators, curriculum specialists, and directors of federal programs are invited to attend the SHELLS national conference and cyber-conference April 16�17, 2008 at the University of Alabama Bryant Conference Center. Registration is free for K�12 teachers and school personnel, and $30.00 for other participants.

9. McREL summer professional development
McREL is pleased to offer a robust series of workshops and training opportunities at our office in Denver, Colorado.

McREL IN THE NEWS

10. 'TV Junkie' used as classroom anti-drug tool
ABC News
February 22, 2008
TV Junkie: Faces of Addiction, part of an HBO documentary series on addiction, has been released as an educationally-enhanced DVD with content contributed by McREL. The DVD has been well-received by both educational institutions and police forces in educating Americans on the effects of addiction.

11. Profiles of success: Eight Colorado schools that are closing the achievement gap
Donnell-Kay Foundation
February 26, 2008
A recent report from the Donnell-Kay Foundation found that the achievement gap between rich and poor students in Colorado has more to do with the expectations placed on different groups of students than on their financial status. This report cites findings from McREL's study, High-needs schools: What does it take to beat the odds?

12. McREL awarded federal grant to develop instructional framework for visually impaired students
McREL
March 11, 2008
In collaboration with Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, McREL will begin work on a three-year study, Visualizing Science with Adapted Curriculum Enhancements (ACE), through a $1.5 million Mathematics and Science Special Education Goal 2 Research Grant, offered by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences.

REPORT ROUNDUP

13. Mini-digest of education statistics 2007
National Center for Education Statistics
This short publication summarizes educational statistics from kindergarten through graduate school, originally published in the Digest of Education Statistics, 2007.

14. Knocking at the college door: Projections of high school graduates by state and race/ethnicity, 1992 to 2022
Western Interstate Commision for Higher Education (WICHE)
This new report from WICHE estimates that graduation rates will slow down between 2008 and 2014. The report projects that minority groups will comprise all growth in graduation rates during these years.

15. National mathematics advisory panel releases final report
U.S. Department of Education
The National Math Panel's report contains findings and recommendations on a variety of topics to help inform parents, teachers, policymakers, researchers, and others interested in mathematics education in the United States. The panel recommends covering fewer topics in early mathematics education, and doing a better job of covering those topics to ensure students receive a strong foundation in basic mathematics concepts.

16. Native education 101: basic facts about American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian education
National Education Association
This report explains some of the unique problems faced by native populations in schools and the variety of laws and executive orders impacting the education of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students.

17. Lost in transition: Building a better path from school to college and careers
Southern Regional Education Board
This report, based on education forums in 15 states, warns that the emphasis on ensuring students are all college ready upon graduation from high school often means schools are not preparing students for careers. The report suggest that high schools, districts, and states offer more information and guidance about entering the workforce.

18. Ten years after college: Comparing the employment experiences of 1992-93 bachelor�s degree recipients with academic and career-oriented majors
National Center for Education Statistics
This report compares the work experience of college graduates in 1992�1993 with undergraduate degrees to those with career-oriented degrees. By 2003, most graduates had settled into a career and approximately doubled their annual income. Most were satisfied with their employment, compensation, and opportunities for promotion. Career-oriented graduates tended to settle into jobs earlier and were less likely to pursue additional education.

NEW FROM McREL

19. Remove Limits to Learning with Systematic Vocabulary Instruction
This booklet sets the stage for creating and implementing a systematic approach to vocabulary instruction and describes the positive outcomes you can expect when vocabulary becomes an essential part of classroom instruction.

20. Changing Schools, winter 2008�Creating purposeful communities
This issue of McREL's magazine, Changing Schools, examines the importance of creating purposeful communities. Read about the role of principal autonomy in a purposeful community, an example of a purposeful community in action at a middle school, a lesson plan to improve writing at any grade level, characteristics of purposeful communities, and how technology is changing our sense of community.

21. Developing self-regulation in kindergarten: Can we keep all the crickets in the basket?
Young Children (63)2�March, 2008
By Elena Bodrova and Deborah Leong

Trying to manage kindergarteners is often an exercise in futility, much like trying to keep crickets in a basket. The difficulties lie in the lack of self-regulation in most kindergarten-aged children. In this article, McREL Researcher Elena Bodrova and Metropolitan State University Professor Deborah Leong explain how self-regulation can be taught in the classroom. They point out that children who do not develop their self-regulating skills are unlikely to reach their full potential in school.

22. Using strategy instruction to help struggling high schoolers understand what they read
REL Central at McREL
This review sought to locate and summarize findings from rigorous, scientifically based studies of the effectiveness of strategy instruction�teaching students to use and articulate strategies that foster active, competent, self-regulated, and intentional learning�for helping struggling high school students improve their reading comprehension. The study found peer-assisted learning can have a positive effect on struggling high school students� reading comprehension.

23. High school standards and expectations for college and the workplace
REL Central at McREL
State standards for high schools in a majority of Central Region states cover 82 percent of the language arts topics but just 57 percent of the mathematics topics identified by two national studies as important for success in college and the workplace.

24. Access to supplemental educational services in the central region states
REL Central at McREL
At just 11 percent of eligible students, participation rates are low in supplemental educational services-available in schools that fail to make AYP for three years running. Participation may not improve until provision problems are resolved and programs demonstrate effectiveness. Answers to five research questions provide a status report.