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READING FIRST NOT WORKING PERFECTLY, FEDERAL STUDY INDICATES |
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Created under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Reading First program provides assistance to states and districts in using research-based reading programs and instructional materials for kindergarten through third grade students. NCLB also requires that an evaluation of the program be conducted to determine if the program influences teaching practices, mastery of early reading components and reading comprehension. The Institute of Education Sciences has done this analysis and found that Reading First did have positive, statistically significant impacts on total class time spent on the five essential components of reading instruction promoted by the program. However, the study also found that, on average, Reading First did not have statistically significant impacts upon student reading comprehension test scores in grades one through three. So, basically the much touted program has had no positive effect on students' reading comprehension -- students in schools receiving grants to implement the program did about the same as their peers in comparison schools in reading comprehension. |
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HOW EARLY SHOULD EDUCATION START? |
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Recent research on early childhood development is inspiring prominent scientists and politicians to argue for an unprecedented investment in schooling that begins virtually at birth, reports Jeremy Mainer for the Chicago Tribune. However, as decades of studies on brain development are explored, experts have become divided on where best to focus attention. In fact, many experts now believe some policies popular with politicians (universal pre-kindergarten) may not reach at-risk kids at a young enough age. Still, universal pre-K supporters say the evidence for earlier interventions is not yet solid, while offering conventional pre-K to everyone would help foster support for more early interventions. Nevertheless, in theory, starting to intervene soon after birth should help kids more because that is when experience shapes brains. Children's brains change more between conception and kindergarten than at any other time. According to several studies, connections between cells in most brain areas peak by age three, then decline gradually as experiences mold the brain's circuitry. This doesn't mean the age zero to three period is a magical and irreplaceable window, but studies demonstrate that babies raised in poverty get fewer of the early experiences that spur vocabulary growth and good social judgment. For example, in the Abecedarian Project, a 1970s enrichment program in North Carolina that enrolled 111 low-income African American infants, program participants did better on reading and math tests, were more likely to attend college and were less likely to have babies at an early age than others. |
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COLLEGE SUMMIT ADDRESSES THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACCESS GAP |
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It is undeniable that low-income students face a harsh reality when it comes to post-secondary education. In fact, only seven percent of low-income kids earn a college degree by the age of 25, and college going rates for the highest achieving low-income students are equivalent to those of the lowest achieving more affluent kids. Recently "NOW on PBS" aired a year-long investigation of a program trying to level the college access/attainment playing field. College Summit, which has worked in partnership with schools, districts and colleges to develop a sustainable model for raising college enrollment rates, wants to close this gap by helping needy students select schools, complete applications, write personal statements and navigate financial aid. After months of documenting student participants in Denver (Colo.), PBS found that many of the students profiled are realizing their dreams. In fact, according to College Summit statistics, nearly 80 percent of participants in their Peer Leadership program go on to college. |
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FOOD SCRAPS AREN'T WASTE, THEY'RE REUSABLE ENERGY! |
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Harding School in Santa Barbara, Calif., became one of the first schools in the nation to unveil a zero-waste cafeteria, reports Sonia Fernandez for the Santa Barbara Noozhawk. The zero-waste program aims to divert as much trash as possible by either recycling or composting cafeteria waste. This approach to sustainability treats leftover food as energy, not trash, and, in fact, the cafeteria's plates, bowls and utensils are all made of corn. The students gleefully participate, all the while gaining a year of hands on experience sorting, recycling and composting waste -- a habit they ought to carry throughout life. |
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RACE IS NOT A FACTOR IN THE SUCCESS OF CHILDREN, ACCORDING TO PARENTS |
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A new report from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) discusses parental perceptions of the urban school climate in the hope of involving parents, families and communities in education because their participation is imperative for school success. To divine this information, NSBA conducted a school climate survey, and found that the majority of parents view their child's school as a safe place. Yet, only 42 percent of parents thought students did not fight a lot at school. In addition, little more than half of the parents surveyed felt that teachers had the ability to stop bullying. Still, 84 percent of parents felt that they could trust teachers at their child's school, and 87 percent felt respected by teachers. The survey also found that 70 percent of parents did not believe racial differences had an impact on a child's success at school. |
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PROPORTION OF MINORITIES PURSUING STEM FIELDS STATIC, AT BEST |
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A new report from the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) finds that participation rates for African American, Native Americans and Latinos in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields have flatlined, and in some cases declined. The report also discovered a vast pool of minority students who simply aren't prepared to take advantage of STEM fields. Furthermore, any progress has neither been steady nor substantial enough for the representation of minorities in STEM to reflect their overall proportion of the population. Specifically, from 1995 to 2005, the proportion of bachelor's degrees in engineering awarded to African Americans declined. Meanwhile, African Americans, Native Americans and Latinos constitute 30 percent of the nation's undergraduate students (a proportion that is expected to be 38 percent by 2025), yet fewer than 12 percent of baccalaureate engineering graduates in this country come from these minority groups. |
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SCHOOLS BRACE FOR BHUTANESE WAVE WITH RESEARCH |
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Sharon Birnkrant, principal of H.W. Smith School in Syracuse, N.Y., has grown accustomed to receiving refugees from countries she knows little about, reports Mary Ann Zehr for Education Week. When she heard that a group of refugees from Bhutan would be resettled in Syracuse, she got right into "standard practice" research mode. Birnkrant is one of dozen or so educators across the United States under similar preparation, as the U.S. Department of State interviews at least 60,000 Bhutanese seeking resettlement. This group of educators says they typically don't know the specific needs students will have when they arrive, and the Bhutanese are no exception. Most of the refugees are descendants of people who moved to southern Bhutan from Nepal in the late 1800s, and were known as Lhotshampas. However in the 1980s, the ruling Druk majority became increasingly worried about their fast growing population. Then in 1990, protests by the Lhotshampas against what they saw as overly strict citizenship requirements led to violence and mass arrests, which caused tens of thousands of Lhotshampas to flee to Nepal and India. Unfortunately, the Nepalese government didn't grant freedom of movement or permission to work in Nepal and Bhutan refused to take them back. This started the long journey to resettlement in America. Armed with information about the events taking place in this region, Birnkrant and educators like her are quickly priming themselves on the language and culture challenges they will face. |
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WHILE MUSLIM YOUTHS IN NEW YORK CITY FEEL SAFE, RACIAL TENSIONS EXIST |
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According to a new study from Teachers College, Muslim youths have generally felt comfortable, safe and fairly content in New York City public schools. Still, these youngsters have been made hyper-conscious of their religious identity since September 11, 2001. In fact, 17 percent of Muslim public school students report having been the object of bigotry, often in the shape of teasing or taunting about Islam or being a "terrorist." While 43 percent feel that Americans in general are respectful and tolerant towards them, 69 percent think that mainstream society is at the same time suspicious of them. In addition, nearly all youths surveyed felt that discrimination against Muslim Americans increased since September 11. |
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COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROVIDE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED |
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Richardo Grimsley, a sophomore at Pittsburgh Westinghouse High School, said he sometimes thought about writing poetry, but never got around to it until a new after-school program got him engaged, reports the Associated Press. Called the Lighthouse Project, the program represents some of the first efforts to create community or full-service schools that go beyond traditional education. In fact, the schools typically stay open well into the evening, providing a range of social services aimed at uplifting individuals, mending families and revitalizing neighborhoods. While the definition of a community school varies, the concept has taken root (especially in cities) nationwide as more and more policymakers recognize that what happens outside of school affects students' performance inside. So far it has worked for Richardo, as in just seven months he has penned 20 poems. |
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HOW TO COLLABORATE WITH AND ENGAGE FAMILIES |
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The IRIS Center and the PACER Center have created an interactive, online module to support educators in diversifying and improving family participation in school. In the module, a principal and staff demonstrate how they gain information about of their students' families because this helps them best engage all members of a family in education. Many schools enjoy a high level of parental involvement from some families, but schools should be ever-interested in increasing involvement, especially among families of students with disabilities. |
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FOLLOW THE WEBSTER WAY TO RAISE TEST SCORES, LOWER SUSPENSION RATES |
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Five years ago teachers feared violent outbursts from gang-involved sixth graders at Webster Elementary School in San Diego, Calif., reports Emily Alpert for the Voice of San Diego News. However, in the present day, students cheerfully greet their teachers, line up quickly and listen respectfully to one another. Teachers chalk this dramatic turnaround to a homegrown program that explicitly teaches students how to behave. Known as the Webster Way, the program focuses on scholarly behaviors such as eye contact, cleaning up after yourself and proper greetings. The Webster Way originated in a school-wide effort to understand poverty and its impact on education and began with teachers jotting down notes about their best performing students. They found interesting coincidences between the students, most notably that top achievers had mastered a behavioral code that equated to school success. Their conduct clearly separated them from their lower-achieving peers. From this research, teachers began spending time each day role-playing positive behaviors and discussing their importance. It sounds elementary, but the results have been astounding, as Webster has seen suspensions plummet and test scores surge. In addition, students now flock to the magnet school. |
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ALMOST ALL AMERICANS HAVE A POOR IDEA OF MONEY SPENT ON EDUCATION |
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According to a recent survey analysis conducted by William Howell, a professor at the University of Chicago, and Martin West, an assistant professor at Brown University, most Americans do not really understand how much is spent on public education. In fact, the average respondent thought per pupil spending in their district was just $4,231, while the actual average spending was $10,377. In addition, the public underestimated the average teacher salary by $14,370, in assuming teachers made about $33,000 when they actually make $47,602. When putting these facts together, one finds that almost 96 percent of the public underestimates either per-pupil spending in their district or teacher salaries in their state. |
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NEW REPORT DETAILS STATE-LEVEL EDUCATION EXPENDITURES |
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A new report from the National Center for Education Statistics includes findings on public education revenues and expenditures, using fiscal year 2006 data. The publication contains basic revenue and expenditure data by state for public elementary and secondary education. It also contains state-level data on revenues by source and expenditures by function, including per pupil. |
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ENGAGE STUDENTS IN HISTORY, HAVE THEM INVESTIGATE THEIR ANCESTRY |
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Ruby Abebe, a certified teacher in Iowa, has developed a site for students to learn about their ancestry. The site is intended to engage students in history, as so often children don't see the connections the past has with their daily lives. Family histories can be a great tool because they make learning fun and interesting by fostering a personal connection with the past. The site's staff are also available to provide assistance to teachers in developing lesson plans and integrating genealogy into the classroom. |
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NEW SPANISH PUBLICATION AIMS TO INCREASE SCHOOL READINESS |
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The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) has released a new resource printed in Spanish in conjunction with El día de los Niños, the holiday that recognizes children as the center of the Latino family. The publication, Cultivating Readers or Cultivando el hábito de la lectura, provides activities for parents to support their child's literacy, language and reading skills. NCFL thinks the resource will increase school readiness for infants and toddlers, preschoolers and students from kindergarten through third grade. |
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HOW TO SECURE PROSPERITY AND SOLVENCY FOR THE UNITED STATES |
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In his new book, Andrew Yarrow, vice president of Public Agenda, goes into detail about the nature of the United States' growing national debt. The book explains what it means for the federal government to be sinking continuously deeper into debt, and the potentially calamitous implications for future generations. It appears that within 40 to 50 years, 20 percent of the national income will go toward paying interest on the national debt, with about 20 percent going to Medicare and Social Security. Unfortunately, some discretionary programs (science, infrastructure and education to name a few) are already experiencing an erosion of funding. It is undeniable that a further inability to fund these vital programs could be devastating for the future. In the book, Yarrow offers a roadmap to a more secure future of solvency and greater prosperity. |
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NEW GRANT AND FUNDING INFORMATION |
"Toyota International Teacher Program"
Toyota International Teacher Program allows participants to explore the Galapagos Islands and work in groups with Galapagueño teachers on the design of interdisciplinary environmental lessons. These lessons will be shared with the education community. Maximum Award: a fully funded 12-day study tour of the Galapagos Islands November 22 to December 6, 2008. Eligibility: full time U.S. classroom teachers or teacher-librarians in grades six to 12. Deadline: May 8, 2008.
"New Science Teacher Academy"
Amgen/New Science Teacher Academy Foundation is a professional development initiative created to help promote quality science teaching, enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence. Maximum Award: program expenses. Eligibility: middle or high school science teachers entering their second or third year of teaching, working a schedule with 51 percent of their classes in science. Deadline: May 23, 2008.
"Parent Group of the Year"
PTO Today's Parent Group of the Year Contest is an excellent opportunity to showcase gives a school the chance to win cash and prizes. Maximum Award: $3,000. Eligibility: all parent groups; public and private schools; rural, suburban, and urban schools. Deadline: May 30, 2008.
"Grants for Community-Based Child Health Initiatives"
American Academy of Pediatrics 2009 CATCH Resident Funds grants will be awarded on a competitive basis for pediatric residents to plan community-based child health initiatives. CATCH Resident Funds grant projects must include planning activities but also may include some implementation activities. Maximum Award: $3,000. Eligibility: Pediatric residents working with their communities. Deadline: July 31, 2008.
"Musical Instruments for Existing K-12 Music Programs"
Mr. Holland's Opus Melody Program provides musical instruments and instrument repairs to existing K-12 school music programs that have no other source of financing additional musical instruments and materials. Eligibility: music programs that take place during the regular school day. Schools must have an established instrumental music program (i.e., concert band, marching band, jazz band and/or orchestra) that is at least three years old. Maximum Award: $8,000. Deadline: August 1, 2008.
"Labels for Education"
Campbell's Labels for Education Program gives schools free educational equipment in exchange for labels from Campbell products. Maximum Award: N/A. Eligibility: Schools or parents coordinate label drives to raise resources for schools. Deadline: N/A.
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