REPORT ROUNDUP

9. Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits
The National Academies Press
A new report from the National Research Council synthesizes studies about informal scientific learning-that taking place in museums, through educational television programming, and other non-traditional methods. These informal channels can significantly deepen scientific interest and understanding, particularly for groups that typically show little interest in science.

10. Referral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community Colleges
Community College Research Center
While it is commonly understood that some college students need remedial education in some subjects, there has been little research about the progression of students through the remediation process. This report finds that only 30-40 percent of students who require remediation actually complete the entire course. The rest drop out before completing the program. In effect, higher education institutions are losing students before they even get started.

11. School Recess and Group Classroom Behavior
Pediatrics in Review
A new study compares the amount of recess children receive with their classroom behavior. The study found that classroom behavior improves significantly when children have at least one recess of 15 minutes or more every day. The study also found that black, low income, and inner-city students were more likely to be denied any recess at all.

12. 2008 State Teacher Policy Yearbook
National Council on Teacher Quality
The new State Teacher Policy Yearbook finds states largely at fault for poor teacher quality. The primary findings of the report show that only 2 states require evidence of teacher effectiveness before granting tenure. In addition, the report found that states are not doing enough to identify effective teachers, are responsible for keeping ineffective teachers in the classroom, and provide barriers to retaining effective teachers.

EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

13. Teaching Ambassador Fellowship
U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education is now accepting applications from state certified pre-K-12 public school teachers for the 2009-2010 Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program. The program provides public school teachers with the opportunity to contribute to public education on the national level. Fellows can be either Washington Fellows, full-time federal employees at the U.S. Department of Education, or Classroom Fellows, remaining in their local schools under their regular teaching contracts.
Deadline: March 16, 2009  

14. HP Innovations in Education Grant
Hewlett-Packard (HP)
HP is offering over $9M in grants to U.S. secondary school districts to launch initiatives that support student success in mathematics and science. Schools interested in applying for one of the 25 grants should submit a proposal that supports the following areas: Leadership capacity, digital learning environments, the secondary student design & research experience, and high-tech career awareness.  
Deadline: March 30, 2009 

15. Great Teachers for Our City Schools
The Urban Teacher Partnership
The Urban Teacher Partnership (UTP) will hold its Second Annual Great Teachers for Our City Schools: National Summit on Recruiting, Preparing and Retaining Quality Urban Teachers on April 1-3, 2009, in Denver, Colorado. The summit offers presentations and discussions involving urban teacher education partnerships from across the country. Featured speakers also include Geoffrey Canada, president and CEO of the Harlem Children's Zone and the Honorable Bill Ritter, Governor of Colorado.

     The goal of the Summit is to promote and build important national networking capacity among urban P-16 education partnerships that are working to develop quality teachers for high-needs urban schools.

     The Summit is sponsored by the Urban Teacher Partnership-made up of Metropolitan State College of Denver, Denver Public Schools, and the Mayor's Office for Education and Children in collaboration with the Educational Testing Service, State Higher Education Executive Officers, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, the College Board, the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, the Center for Teaching Quality, and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.  

16. Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are among the highest honors recognizing the contributions of highly qualified mathematics and science teachers. Nominations are now open for mathematics or science teachers with 7-12 years experience.
Nomination Deadline: May 1, 2009.

MCREL IN THE NEWS

17. JCPS study cites problems with councils, teachers
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.)
February 10, 2009
Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky recently hired McREL to evaluate their district in funding, safety, college and career readiness, instruction, and advancing competiveness. The district plans to use the report to benchmark their progress and identify areas in need of reform. So far, the district has found McREL's report to reaffirm their goals and strategies, and raise awareness of areas that need to be improved. 

18. Park City to decide on four-day school week
The Laurel Outlook (Laurel, Mont.)
February 4, 2009
Park City Schools are contemplating moving to a four-day school week. Before they make a decision, however, they are trying to evaluate all sides of the issue and review the available research, which has been summarized by McREL.   

19. One classroom, many cultures
The Sioux Falls Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
January 25, 2009
A small classroom in Sioux Falls brings together students from diverse backgrounds and ages in a one-room classroom for grades 3-8. McREL Principal Evaluator Andrea Beesley notes that children in such classrooms are often shortchanged on activities and can have trouble switching to larger schools later, but that they do benefit from working with children in other grade levels.