| |
|
February 6, 2009 |
Click here to read printable version |
|
| U.S. Secretary of Education says stimulus spending builds a better-educated workforce |
| |
The approximately $140 billion for schools in President Obama's stimulus plan is "a historic chance to make things dramatically better," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told The Associated Press in an interview. "If we want to stimulate the economy, we need a better-educated workforce." While few in Congress would argue with this, some complain that little in the stimulus creates jobs in the short term. In Duncan's view, the planned education spending will have a major impact up front, through the building and renovation of classrooms, and in keeping hundreds of thousands of teachers from being laid off. Duncan also sees the stimulus as a way to make the country's public elementary and secondary schools more rigorous, preparing more kids to go to college. The stimulus plan would also double spending on Pell Grants to help low-income students pay for college, raising the maximum award to $5,350. "In our economy, never has it been more important to go to college," Duncan said. "Well, college has never been more unaffordable. And so increasing access is hugely important. Long term, if we want a better economy, we need more people going to college."
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Teacher evaluation systems merit a D-plus, nationally |
| |
A new study indicates that states are failing to remove bad teachers, according to The Associated Press. The 2008 State Teacher Policy Yearbook, just released by the National Council on Teacher Quality, found that only Iowa and New Mexico require any evidence that public school teachers are effective before granting tenure, and nearly every state in the country lets public school teachers earn tenure in three years or less. While tenure does not guarantee job security, it makes removal of teachers much harder, requiring due process and a demonstration of just cause. Only 13 states say that teachers who get multiple bad reviews can be fired, and only 26 states put teachers on an improvement plan after one bad review. The National Education Association, the biggest teacher union in country, said in response that job protections shouldn't be blamed for retaining bad teachers, and that teacher firing should be part of a broad evaluation and support system developed in cooperation with teachers, either through unions or teacher groups. States were given letter grades in the study and averaged a D-plus. The highest overall mark, a B-minus, went to South Carolina, which requires two annual evaluations of new teachers. All other states earned Cs or worse.
Read more | See the report | Back to top
|
|
| Making children a greater national priority in the federal budget |
| |
Children's advocacy group First Focus has released a new website that details investment in every federal program that benefits children. The searchable database allows users to access information on any of the 180 federally supported programs that help children, including annual funding information, program overviews, and graphs that display funding changes over time. Searches are customizable, and can be limited to funding type, policy area, amount of funding, and federal department or agency. Data can also be viewed in the aggregate, according to eight broad categories. "The federal budget is a reflection of our national priorities. Politicians of all political affiliations claim to put kids first. Yet this year, the federal government will spend less than 10 percent of its budget on programs addressing the needs of American young people," said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus. "We have created this website to highlight this startling fact, providing policymakers and advocates with the information they need to improve investments in children's programs."
Read more | See the website | Back to top
|
|
| Kindergarteners require a full day to attain mastery |
| |
The demands of kindergarten in Ohio have changed drastically since four decades ago when she first started teaching, Mary Bonosky told The Dayton Daily News. "If [students] knew letters and letter sounds by the end of the year, that was considered success in kindergarten," she said. Now, children are supposed to master key indicators by the end of kindergarten in four core areas: language arts, math, social studies, and science. Given this, a full day of kindergarten, five days a week, makes sense, in her view. Full-day kindergarten is available in many parts of Ohio, but Gov. Ted Strickland wants to make it compulsory statewide, and has placed it front and center in his new eight- to 10-year education plan, "Reforming Ohio's Education System for the 21st Century." "It is widely accepted that all-day kindergarten is desirable and helpful, especially for people with impoverished backgrounds," the governor recently announced. While working parents especially have applauded the proposal, many suburban education officials fear it will be prohibitively costly, doubling space and staffing requirements in districts where kindergarten is taught in a.m. and p.m. shifts.
Read more | Related | Back to top
|
|
| Free market alive and well in Georgia voucher bill |
| |
Under a new proposal by state legislators, Georgia would be the first state in the country to offer school vouchers to all students, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. The bill, put forward by Republicans in the state senate, would allot $5,000 per child toward private school tuition, and would also allow parents to freely move children from one public school to another of their choosing. While the bill is not "a silver bullet" for Georgia's education difficulties, according to its author Senator Eric Johnson (R-Savannah), "Georgia is a conservative state that understands the free market," and as such will apply free-market solutions to improve Georgia's education ranking, "near the bottom," nationally. Under his bill, students who want to switch schools must qualify for admission at the new school first, and parents must provide student transportation. By his estimate, five percent of parents will use the vouchers. Democrats in the legislature objected to the proposal, saying it would divert precious resources from schools already facing nearly $275 million in cuts next year. Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown (D-Macon) said the bill "doesn't address the problems in public schools. What you have to do is fund them more adequately."
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Professional development for teachers: how it stacks up internationally |
| |
The National Staff Development Council has released a new study on professional development (PD) that compares U.S. teachers' PD with that of other high-performing nations. "Professional Learning in the Learning Professional: A Status Report on Teacher Professional Development in the U.S. and Abroad" finds that while the United States is providing support and mentoring for new teachers and bolstering content knowledge, the type of support and on-the-job training most teachers receive is episodic, often fragmented, and disconnected from real problems of practice. The report also reviews promising strategies in high-performing nations and the United States. "The research tells us that teachers need to learn the way other professionals do -- continually, collaboratively, and on the job," says Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University and the School Redesign Network, and one of the report's authors. "The good news is that we can learn from what some states and most high-performing nations are doing." The study is the first of three that will examine professional development within the U.S.; following studies will measure the effectiveness of professional learning at the state level and investigate what it takes to enact and implement policies that result in improved systems for teachers' professional learning.
Read more | See report | Back to top
|
|
| Making college a Latino rite of passage |
| |
Latino high school students have put a twist on a traditional rite of passage, the quinceañera, according to The Arizona Star. The ceremony, which Latina girls celebrate upon turning 15, has been transformed at two Tucson high schools into "Quince para mis Quince," or "Fifteen for my Fifteenth," school-sanctioned clubs that include boys and enlist students to undertake 15 activities that will help them prepare for college. The goal, according to Elizabeth Arnot-Hopffer, is to "create a college-going culture" in the high school. Participating high school freshmen are often the first in their families to even consider college, and don't have the family experience and resources to help them navigate the complicated application and financial aid process. The clubs also involve parents and help the students to stay on track.
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Moms, daughters discover engineering through robots |
| |
In the Miami-Dade school district, mothers and daughters are enrolled in a robotics workshop designed to expose girls from low-income families to careers in science and engineering, The Miami Herald writes. The workshop is run by StarBot, a Miami-based organization that promotes robotics, and funded by a grant from The Children's Trust. ''We're trying to boost the number of women in the field,'' said teacher Kathy Lyden. "Once they participate in a workshop like this -- and see what they are capable of doing -- they're hooked. It opens doors for them." Lyden had especially lobbied to bring the program to her high school, Northwestern. The teen participants, who range from freshmen to seniors, had all expressed an interest in the sciences but had never built a robot. In the workshops, mother and daughter pairs learn about soldering, light-emitting diodes, and photodarlington transistors, among other things. Shantrice Mattis, a 14-year-old freshman attending with her grandmother, said she was surprised to find herself contemplating a career in robotics. "Before, when I thought about building robots, I saw men doing it," she said. "It just shows that women can do anything."
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Science education needs more than facts |
| |
Researchers testing 6,000 freshmen majoring in science and engineering at seven universities, four in the United States and three in China, found that while Chinese students know more science facts, neither group is particularly skilled in scientific reasoning, Science Daily reports. This suggests that educators in both countries must go beyond teaching science facts if they hope to boost students' reasoning ability. "Our study shows that, contrary to what many people would expect, even when students are rigorously taught the facts, they don't necessarily develop the reasoning skills they need to succeed," said Lei Bao, associate professor of physics at Ohio State University and lead author of the study. In the United States, only one third of students take a yearlong physics course before graduating from high school. The remainder study physics within general science courses. In China, every student takes five years of continuous physics from grades 8 through 12. Chinese students outperformed American students on factual knowledge of physics -- averaging 90 percent on one test, versus the Americans' 50 percent -- but in a test of science reasoning, both groups averaged around 75 percent.
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Margaret Spellings to continue to fight for NCLB in DC |
| |
Former education secretary Margaret Spellings has said she'll remain in Washington, D.C. until 2010 in order to "continue to be part of the warriors in common cause for leaving no child behind," according to USA TODAY. Spellings, whose younger daughter will finish high school in the area during this time, plans to carry out her work through public speaking and as a consultant. In her final months in the Department of Education, Spellings relaxed the stringent guidelines of NCLB for some states in an effort to tweak the law that critics claim has fallen short of its goals. Spellings told USA TODAY that she expects her successor, Arne Duncan, will keep the "core goals" of NCLB intact, and stated her willingness to work with the Obama administration, should they seek her help.
Read more | Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Program encourages kids to read aloud to dogs
A library program called Paws to Read fosters reading confidence by having kids practice reading skills in front of a friendly, nonjudgmental dog.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/28/AR2009012800019.html
The cost of quality out-of-school-time programs
The Wallace Foundation has released a data-filled examination of the costs of 111 diverse, quality Out-of-School-Time programs in six cities, as well as a companion OST "cost calculator" on its website for those wishing to budget for out-of-school-time programming.
See the report: http://www.wallacefoundation.org/KnowledgeCenter/KnowledgeTopics/CurrentAreasofFocus/Out-Of-SchoolLearning/Pages/The-Cost-of-Quality-Out-of-School-Time-Programs.aspx
See the calculator: http://www.wallacefoundation.org/cost-of-quality/Pages/default.aspx
Where bonus pay was actually tied to performance
The Houston Independent School District paid out a record $31.4 million in incentive pay. Union leaders continue to criticize the incentive system for relying too heavily on student test scores.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6235737.html
High school helps college students in times of need
An Indianapolis high school extends counseling past graduation.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090131/LOCAL/901310445/1013/NEWS04
Colorado's reforms under fire
National experts question why the Colorado's education reform has seen so few results.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/02/colorados-education-reform-gets-mixed-grades/
State superintendents get a call from Duncan
The new Secretary of Education reached out to state school chiefs regarding the stimulus plan. Arne Duncan gave state education chiefs his e-mail address and phone number.
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2009/01/31/news/state/175381.txt
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will feature video clips of exemplary teachers in action
Bill Gates says his foundation hopes to post online videos of exemplary teachers plying their craft as a way to inspire other educators and help students learn. He also says the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will increase its giving in 2009, despite the sinking economy.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=56948 |
|
| NEW GRANT AND FUNDING INFORMATION |
U.S. Dept. of Ed.: Teaching American History Grants
The Teaching American History Grant Program supports projects that raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of traditional American history. Awards help districts to develop, implement, document, evaluate, and disseminate innovative, cohesive models of professional development, in partnership with entities that have extensive content expertise (colleges and universities, history and humanities organizations, and libraries and museums). Eligibility: Local educational agencies (LEAs)--including charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law and regulations--working in partnership with one or more of the following entities: institutions of higher education (IHEs); non-profit history or humanities organizations; and libraries and museums. Average award: $500,000. Deadline: March 9, 2009.
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teachinghistory/
American Historical Association: Beveridge Family Teaching Prize
The American Historical Association Beveridge Family Teaching Prize recognizes excellence and innovation in elementary, middle school, and secondary history teaching, including career contributions and specific initiatives. Maximum award: $1,500. Eligibility: K-12 teachers in groups. Deadline: March 16, 2009.
http://www.historians.org/teaching/Beveridge.htm
AIAA: Grants for Classroom Excellence in Math, Science, Technology and Engineering
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation Classroom Grants are awarded for excellence in educating students about math, science, technology, and engineering. Eligibility: current AIAA Educator Associate or AIAA Professional members actively engaged as K-12 classroom educators. Maximum award: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2009.
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=244
Scholarships for Prospective Secondary School Teachers of Math
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Texas Instruments Demana-Waits Fund Prospective Secondary Teacher Course Work Scholarships provide financial support to college students preparing for teaching secondary school mathematics. Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: persons currently completing their sophomore year of college, scheduling for full-time study at a four- or five-year college or university in the next academic year, and pursuing a career goal of becoming a certified teacher of secondary school mathematics; applicants must be student members of NCTM. Deadline: May 9, 2009.
http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=1338
American Councils for Education: Seeking Fellowship Placements
The American Councils for Education, in association with the U.S. Department of State, is seeking to place five young professionals in non-governmental internships across the country during the fall 2009 intern season (September-December). Prospective interns will be arriving in the United States in mid-August under the auspices of the federally funded Legislative Education and Practice program (LEAP) and will be ready to report to work in early September. LEAP Fellows are dedicated public servants between 23 and 33 years of age from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey. They are college -educated (many have advanced degrees in law or international studies), speak fluent English, have had previous U.S.-based experience, and are eager to learn how Americans address rule of law, civil society, work in advocacy, infrastructure, energy, human rights, and related topics, so that they may better their own societies. Interns will be available to work a full-time schedule and will be fully supported by American Councils and the U.S. Department of States in terms of compensation, health insurance, etc. To learn more, please contact RaeJean Stokes at 202-833-7522 or via email at: leap@americancouncils.org
For more grants, see http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp
"The anxiety that often surrounds evaluation needn't be based on a lack of knowledge or skills. I believe most educators have the knowledge and skills to engage in evaluation. What they lack is confidence in their ability and time to engage in evaluation. They may also lack courage -- the courage to really find out if what they're doing makes a difference."
-Joellen Killion (educator/author), from The Journal of the National Staff Development Council. Fall 2008. Page 56.
The PEN Weekly NewsBlast, published by Public Education Network, is a free electronic newsletter featuring resources and information about public school reform, school finance, and related issues. The NewsBlast is the property of Public Education Network, a national association of 79 local education funds working to improve public school quality in low-income communities throughout the nation. Please forward this e-mail to anyone who enjoys free updates on education news and grant alerts.
Some links in the PEN Weekly NewsBlast may change or expire after their initial publication here, and some links may require local website registration.
Your e-mail address is safe with the NewsBlast. It is our firm policy never to rent, loan, or sell our subscriber list to any other organization, group, or individual.
TO UPDATE OR ADD A NEWSBLAST SUBSCRIPTION
PEN wants you to receive each weekly issue of the NewsBlast at your preferred e-mail address. If you are already a subscriber and would like us to change your e-mail address, please click on "Update Profile/Email Address" near the bottom of the NewsBlast mailing.
People wishing to add a NewsBlast subscription can go to PEN's website (http://www.publiceducation.org) and follow the instructions in the lower left-hand section of the homepage. Current subscribers can unsubscribe by clicking the appropriate link near the bottom of the NewsBlast mailing.
If you use spam filters to protect your inbox, you may wish to take a moment right now to add PEN@publiceducation.org to your e-mail address book, spam-software whitelist, or mail-system whitelist. Adding the address will help ensure that you receive the NewsBlast and that your e-mail software displays HTML and images properly.
To view past issues of the PEN Weekly NewsBlast, visit http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_past.asp.
If you would like to submit a proposed article or news item about your local education fund, public school, or school-reform organization for a future issue of the NewsBlast, please send a note to PEN@PublicEducation.org. For the NewsBlast's submission policy, see http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_submission_policy.htm.
Kate Guiney
Contributing Editor
PEN Weekly NewsBlast
Public Education Network
601 Thirteenth Street, NW
Suite 710 South
Washington, DC 20005-3808
PEN@PublicEducation.org |
|
