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Policy experts blast 'piecemeal' student-aid system
A group of policy experts convened by the College Board has called
for a sweeping overhaul of the federal financial-aid system for
college students, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Describing
current programs as "piecemeal" and "rickety," the group says in a
report that the system's complexity discourages students from low-
and moderate-income families from seeking financial assistance. The
experts also urge the government to add incentives for institutions
to retain such students and to help them complete college. The
federal government distributed more than $86 billion in grants,
loans, tax benefits, and other student aid in the 2006-07 academic
year. Changes to the current system would require Congressional
approval.
See the report at
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/policy-advocacy/affordability/student-aid
Revolving door: Politics and the urban school superintendent
The position of the urban school superintendent is becoming
increasingly vulnerable, says an analytical piece in the Washington
Times. The article points to the recent resignation of Rudy Crew
from his administrative duties at the Miami-Dade schools just seven
months after he was named Superintendent of the Year by the American
Association of School Administrators. Daniel A. Domenech, executive
director of that organization, blames political infighting between
Crew and an elected school board for Crew's departure. Comparing the
role of school superintendent to that of coach of a popular home
team that isn't doing well, Domenech says: "You can't get rid of all
of the players, so you get rid of the coach. Unfortunately, in the
long run, it does them no good to have this revolving door. They
never have the longevity that you need to have in a school system
for programs to set in and for progress to be made over the long
term." According to the Council of the Great City Schools, the
average tenure for an urban superintendent is 3.1 years.
Also see
http://www.daily-times.com/news/ci_10526818
Thousands in over their heads as schools push advanced math
The Center on Education Policy (CEP) says Maryland education
officials are advising failing schools to replace their principals
and teaching staffs, the Baltimore Sun reports. Such a step is an
option under the No Child Left Behind Act, but it has not been used
extensively elsewhere in the country. CEPs president, Jack Jennings,
says Maryland's move signals frustration on the part of state
officials, who have tried more gradual remediation efforts without
much result. Since NCLB was enacted, the number of Maryland schools
designated as needing major change has grown from four to 38, half
of them in Baltimore.
Read the press release at
http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2008/0922_education_loveless.aspx
See the report at
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2008/0922_education_loveless/0922_education_loveless.pdf
Coalition backs plan to improve public schools
A coalition of leading educators and community organizations has
produced a "Community Agenda for America's Public Schools." The
group, which includes Randi Weingarten, president of the American
Federation of Teachers, seeks to address complex social problems --
including poverty, violence, substance abuse, and family instability
-- by focusing on schools. The agenda calls for more partnerships
between public schools and local community groups, health-care
providers, and other social services to help struggling students,
especially in the nation's urban and rural areas.
A state's budgetary concerns could lead to larger classes
In public education, broader economic troubles can generate
increases in the number of students sitting in each classroom. In
Florida, for example, as school districts anticipate budget
shortfalls for next year, lawmakers are considering a relaxation of
a state constitutional amendment that strictly controls class size
in public schools, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The popular
amendment, which voters ratified in 2002, dictates that the number
of students in each class be limited to 18 in pre-K through grade 3,
to 22 in grades 4 through 8, and to 25 in high school. School
financing in Florida, which has been especially hard hit by a real
estate bust, is split between property taxes and state revenues.
Education and social services make up the largest items in the state
budget, and a $3.5 billion deficit has been estimated for next year.
Big jump found in school failures under NCLB
The number of schools nationwide that are failing to meet
achievement goals under the No Child Left Behind Act has grown by 50
percent since last year, according to a study by the Center on
Education Policy. The report, "A Call to Restructure Restructuring,"
charges that the U.S. Department of Education has offered "little
guidance on what to do about persistently struggling schools," which
now number 3,500 across the country. According to the report, once a
school enters restructuring, it rarely leaves that status, and
adequate funding for school overhauls and qualified teaching to
bolster achievement are often in short supply. As a law, NCLB is
"like a first draft of a paper," says Jack Jennings, president of
the center, "and we don't think it's developed very well."
Link to the report at
http://www.cep-dc.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=document_ext.showDocumentByID&nodeID=1&DocumentID=248
Researchers call for more criteria in assessing students' competence
The nonprofit research center Child Trends says it has found gaps in
the criteria that colleges and employers use to assess the
competence of young applicants. A report by the group maintains
that, in addition to traditional assessments, criteria for
determining college or job readiness could include positive mental
health, resilience, social competence, and sense of purpose, and
that high schools could make such criteria part of students'
preparation. Titled "A Developmental Perspective on College and
Workplace Readiness," the report includes a chart of key
competencies.
See the report at
http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2008_09_15_FR_ReadinessReport.pdf
College admissions group wants to play down the SAT, ACT
College admissions officers should pay less attention to SAT and ACT
scores in evaluating applicants, if not do away entirely with
requiring the exams, a commission convened by the
National Association for College Admission Counseling has
declared. Reporting on the panel's recommendations, ABC News notes
that many students focus on beating the tests instead of relying on
knowledge they have acquired from studying. Meanwhile, an abundance
of coaching and prep courses that students can take for high fees is
believed to add to an economic bias that some critics have found in
the tests themselves. The commission favors tests tied more closely
to the high school curriculum.
See the press release at
http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/Press/testingcommissionreport.htm
Find the report at
http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/FE4E1899-653F-4D92-8629-86986D42BF5C/0/TestingComissionReport.pdf
Oregon initiative would curb teaching ELL students in their native language
The conservative activist Bill Sizemore is campaigning through a
ballot initiative to prohibit Oregon schools from teaching English
Language Learners (ELLs) in their native language after one year in
elementary school or two years in high school. According to the
Oregonian, Sizemore's proposal underscores how little most people
know about the way Oregon's ELL students spend their days at school.
The newspaper says about 85 percent of such students are taught
exclusively in English. Measure 58, as the initiative is known,
contradicts consistent research findings that teaching students
literacy in their own language helps them become stronger readers of
English, the Oregonian adds. A coalition of major education groups
in the state is working to defeat the measure.
Parents paid to learn how to help their kids with school
In an effort to encourage parents to become more connected to her
Iowa school district, education activist Jeanette Wiley is paying
some of them $25 each to attend a program about how they can help
their children with school, reports CNN. In day-long seminars, the
Education Brain Trust coaches parents on working with teachers,
helping with homework, and providing a better home environment for
doing school work. Participants are required to sign letters in
which they agree to have at least four positive experiences
involving their children's school activities, including attending
parent-teacher conferences, and to supervise an hour of homework
each night. "We talk about turning the radio down, turning the music
off, getting the people out of the house, [and] no card games at the
table," Wiley explains.
Wide sea, small boat: Marian Wright Edelman looks ahead
Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund, has
released a new book, "The Sea Is So Wide and My Boat Is So Small:
Charting a Course for the Next Generation." It's a series of letters
-- to educators, faith leaders, young people, mothers, elected
officials, and concerned citizens -- that reflects on America's
social and economic progress, as well as its setbacks, since the
death of Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968. Writes Edelman: "We now
have the opportunity and awesome responsibility to compose and play
the next movement of America's symphony of freedom and justice. I
hope that through this book our nation is motivated to take on this
challenge and step forward for all children."
BRIEFLY NOTED
Broad Foundation, Harvard in fresh assault on achievement gap
The university's new Education Innovation Laboratory (a.k.a. EdLabs) will team up with New York, Chicago, and Washington school districts to improve public education. Budget: $44 million.
Pre-K programs draw state support despite economic problems
It's "very good news," says Libby Doggett, head of Pre-K Now. An analysis by the organization finds states standing firm in their commitment to finance pre-kindergarten programs.
Free wikis for teachers as company expands its giveaway project
After giving away its collaborative Internet software to 100,000 K-12 teachers around the world since 2006, a San Francisco company, Wikispaces, plans to offer 250,000 more free wikis.
In pursuit of dropouts
Baltimore schools chief Andres Alonso has ordered the city's high schools to locate the 925 students who have quit school since January, call them, visit their homes, and get them back.
Aftermath of a school district's loss of accreditation
U.S. News and World Report looks at how a recent decision by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has affected students, families, and educators in Clayton County, GA.
In the works: a book about boys and reading
A USA Today editorial writer is seeking anecdotes about adults
helping boys get excited about reading. Send a summary, phone
number, and contact time to
richard.whitmire@gmail.com.
Superintendent in Ohio donates 1 pct. of salary to schools
The Little Miami administrator wants to spur voters to approve a 1-percent school tax in November.
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"National Child Labor Committee: Awards for Service to Children and Youth"
The 2009 Lewis Hine Awards for Service to Children and Youth will be
presented to individuals who have made a commitment to the
well-being, growth, and development of youth, either in a paid job
or through volunteering. Maximum award: $1,000. Eligibility:
professional nominees must work full- or part-time and receive pay
for the activity or service for which they are nominated; volunteer
nominees must be unpaid volunteers in the activity or service.
Deadline: Oct. 23, 2008.
"Science Teachers: Sylvia Shugrue Award"
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Sylvia Shugrue
Award for Elementary School Teachers honors a teacher who has
established (or is establishing) an interdisciplinary, inquiry-based
lesson plan. The lesson plan must fully reference information
sources and any relevant National Science Education Standards and
benchmarks found in The Atlas of Science Literacy. Maximum award:
$1,000, and up to $500 to attend the NSTA National Conference on
Science Education, March 19-22, 2009, in New Orleans. The recipient
will be honored during the Awards Banquet at the NSTA Conference.
Eligibility: full-time elementary school teachers (grades K-6) with
a minimum ofthree years' experience. Deadline: Nov. 30, 2008.
"Allstate: Grants for National and Local Programs"
The Allstate Foundation supports national and local programs in
three focus areas. Safe and Vital Communities programs address
catastrophe response, youth anti-violence, neighborhood
revitalization, or teen safe driving. Economic Empowerment programs
address financial and economic literacy, insurance education, or
empowerment for victims of domestic violence. Tolerance, Inclusion,
and Diversity programs address teaching tolerance to youth, ending
hate crimes, or alleviating discrimination. Maximum award: varies.
Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations. Deadline: rolling.
"Mathematics Council: Grants to Improve Students' Understanding of Geometry"
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Improving
Students' Understanding of Geometry Grants seek to enable students
to better appreciate and understand an aspect of geometry that is
consistent with the council's Principles and Standards for School
Mathematics. The project should include applications of geometry to,
for example, art, literature, music, architecture, nature, or some
other relevant area, and may integrate the use of technology into
the teaching of geometry. Maximum award: $3,000. Eligibility: K-8
teachers who are NCTM members as of Oct. 15, 2008, and are teaching
at a school with an NCTM K-8 membership as of Oct. 15,
2008.Deadline: Nov. 14, 2008.
"ALA Cavendish Award: Library Programming"
The American Library Association's Marshall Cavendish Excellence in
Library Programming Award recognizes a library whose programs have
community impact and respond to community needs. Eligible programs
include: support of educational programs, library programs for
children and adults, reading and literature programs for children,
library programs for young adults, programming for multi-ethnic
groups, community outreach, literacy programs, and programs and
services for people with disabilities. Maximum award: $2,000 and a
citation of achievement. Eligibility: school or public libraries.
Deadline: Dec. 1, 2008.
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