| News for the Education Profession |  |
- Ford Foundation pledges $100 million for urban-school reform
The Ford Foundation has pledged $100 million over seven years to fund reform efforts at urban high schools in seven cities: Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Detroit and Newark, N.J.. The initiative will focus on teacher quality, student assessment, funding and the amount of time students spend in school. Jeannie Oakes, a school-reform advocate who will lead the initiative, said it will not support any one political ideology. "We just want to cut through this and think about building an outstanding public-school system for the kids who are least likely to have one now," she said. Los Angeles Times
(11/5)
      
- Dallas considers ending minimum grades on report cards
School board members in Dallas are considering a proposal to change a requirement that teachers stick to a minimum grade of at least 50 on report cards. Board members expressed concerns that the changes might violate state grading laws and could cause inconsistent grading practices. While some people said the minimum grades have helped keep some students on track for graduation, others said teachers should not be required to give grades that students did not earn. The Dallas Morning News
(11/5)
 | Positive behavior can be taught. Rules in School gives teachers detailed guidelines for teaching students self-control and responding to misbehavior. The result is a safe, calm classroom where learning thrives. Written by masterful teachers at three grade levels (K-2, 3-5, 6-8). Click here to read sample chapters. |
| Professional Leadership |  | |
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- Program can grow teachers who are hometown role models
 A program that provides college scholarships to students who agree to return to their hometown to teach will help the Utica, N.Y., district retain a teaching staff that better reflects the diversity of its students, writes the editorial board of The Observer-Dispatch newspaper in Utica. The program, a partnership between the district and a nonprofit, will help more minority students become teachers in local schools, where the can be effective role models for students, the board writes. Observer-Dispatch (Utica, N.Y.)
(11/3)
- Georgia looks at authorizing new virtual charter schools
Georgia state education officials are considering a proposal to fund five new virtual charter schools. The would-be schools decided against seeking local funding, opting instead to make their case with the state. While supporters of online learning and expanded school choice were expected to stage a rally today outside the state capitol, members of the state school board are wrestling with policy questions including how the virtual schools should be funded and how to best meet the needs of struggling students at online schools. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free registration)
(11/6)
- North Carolina district prepares for technology overhaul
Educators in a North Carolina school district are preparing for a digital overhaul as they plan to spend $1.25 million in technology stimulus money for schools. Laptops for middle-school and high-school students as well as iPod Touch technology for primary schools are all being considered for fall 2010. "You're going to see more collaboration I think, with more kids chatting back and forth and blogging back and forth instead of talking in the classroom," a district technology administrator said. Sun Journal (New Bern, N.C.)
(11/5)
 | Stimulus money is coming in—are you ready?
Imagine Learning can stimulate the minds of your early childhood students, ELLs, students with disabilities, and struggling readers. Click here to see how you can turn the economic stimulus into educational success. |
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Outdoor gardens sprout learning opportunities for students
An outdoor garden project at Lewis Elementary School in Portland, Ore., provides an example of how a school can build stewardship among students, writes Suzie Boss in this Edutopia.org blog post. School gardens provide activities that can be tied into core curriculum studies or healthy-lunch programs while engaging students and involving parent volunteers and members of the community, Boss writes. Edutopia.org
(11/4)
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| Read more from the top education blogs here |
| Policy Watch | | |
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- ACLU sues Florida over district's low graduation rates
 The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a class-action lawsuit against Florida on behalf of students and parents in Palm Beach County, alleging the state has failed to provide a high-quality education to students in the district as required by the state constitution. In its suit, the ACLU is seeking oversight by the courts to ensure the district improves its high-school graduation rates, which currently hover around 75% overall and only about 60% for black students. The Palm Beach Post (Fla.)
(11/5)
- Opinion: Plan to stem Chicago schools violence deserves support
Ron Huberman, a former police officer who is now Chicago's public-schools chief, has a worthy plan in place to help stem violence and create a safe environment for the city's students, writes the editorial board of the New York Times. Officials and the community should lend their support to Huberman's plan to bolster counseling, social work and security staff in the city's most disadvantaged schools as they work to provide assistance and jobs for at-risk students, argues the editorial board. The New York Times (free registration)
(11/4)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Singapore Math, Differentiated Instruction, RTI, guided reading, and centers are just a few of the topics covered in SDE's seminars and conferences. Discover practical, up-to-the-minute, research-based solutions to today's most important educational challenges. Find an event coming to your area and register now to reserve your space.
New! 12 Sides to Your Story is a 32-page flipchart that summarizes 12 key strategies for improving narrative writing. You'll find concise explanations, tips, exemplars, and specific steps students can use to identify strategies as they read—and use them in their own stories. Only $12. Click here to preview the entire flipchart online!
Interested in learning more about advertising in ASCD SmartBrief? Contact Joe Riddle at (202) 737-5500 x228 or jriddle@smartbrief.com.
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| In the Field | | |
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- Free school breakfasts are criticized because of doughnuts
While the Chicago public-school system is offering free breakfast to all of its students for the first time this year, some nutrition experts say the district should include healthier choices on their menus. Students may choose three items for breakfast from a selection that includes scrambled eggs, fruit, sugary cereals and doughnuts. District officials defended the breakfast options, saying they meet all requirements set by the Department of Agriculture. Chicago Tribune
(11/5)
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Teachers create award-winning initiative to promote healthy choices: A comprehensive approach to promoting student nutrition has taken hold at Virginia's Claremont Immersion Elementary School, which recently received state recognition for its efforts. Two teachers began the program in 2006 and transformed themselves into two characters -- Dr. B and Dr. C -- who make regular visits to the school cafeteria to promote healthy lifestyle choices; the effort is part of their coursework to earn master's degrees. A nutritional council they helped form meets regularly to implement other healthy-school initiatives. The Washington Post
(11/5)
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DVD: Giving Effective Feedback to Your Students
Drawing from the best-selling ASCD book "How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students" this DVD series demonstrates the power of effective feedback in improving student achievement. Authentic classroom filming showcases written and oral feedback strategies that put students at the center of the learning and help them improve their performance. An embedded professional-development program on each DVD, with accompanying PowerPoint presentation and handouts, ensures teachers become engaged in discovering and applying good feedback with all their students.
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Contrasting Attitudes of Japanese and American Teachers
An ASCD blog post looks back the March 1982 issue of Educational Leadership in which research associate Takiko Morimoto explored the attitudes of Japanese and American educators by comparing survey results from a small sample of teachers in Los Angeles with a small sample in Tokyo. The post also highlights a more recent study by Public Agenda and Learning Points Associates' that offers a comprehensive and nuanced look at how teachers differ in their perspectives on their profession.
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