| News for the Education Profession |  |
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- School district looks to improve student reading skills
State assessment tests have found reading proficiency among Florida students begins to decline in middle school and continues to drop through 10th grade, the final testing year. Some educators attribute the drop in scores to the tests' increasing difficulty. Meanwhile, the Pasco County school district has set a goal of increasing reading proficiency by 7% for every grade level. Efforts include intervention for all struggling readers and the use of more nonfiction texts at higher grade levels. The Tampa Tribune (Fla.)
(9/21)
     
- Dual-enrollment programs allow senior year to be the start of college
Some Pennsylvania high schools offer students the opportunity to take college classes for high-school and college credit through dual-enrollment programs. "It helps facilitate the transition from high school to college," said a high-school career-counseling coordinator. "The kids realize that they're able to do the work. It decreases their anxiety ... and they feel more prepared." Some districts have paid for tuition, but state budget cuts may put an end to that. Centre Daily Times (State College, Pa.)
(9/22)
 | Formative assessment has never been easier to transfer into classroom practice. Learn more about Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning from ETS Assessment Training Institute, including how learning teams can earn college credit. |
- Principal sees progress at second turnaround school
Principal Matthew Tessier has led one California elementary school off of a federal watch list for poor student achievement, and he is close to doing the same for a second. Tessier spends about 80% of his work time in classrooms, emphasizes writing instruction and gives educators 90 minutes per week to share instruction ideas and techniques. "It starts with leadership," said his district's superintendent. "He's the type of person that inspires greatness." San Diego Union-Tribune
(9/19)
- New York City teachers union leader steps into tough role
As interim president of the United Federation of Teachers, Michael Mulgrew has come to helm the New York City teachers union at a difficult time. Mulgrew, who was elected in July, must win a union-wide election in the spring to keep his position. But in the meantime, he'll have to deal with shrinking school budgets and the Obama administration's push for education reform, including the possibility of using student test scores to assess teachers. The New York Times (free registration)
(9/21)
 | "Incredible...helps all of us de-clutter and organize classroom spaces" (Teacher Leaders Network). Debbie Diller's Spaces & Places is filled with color photos and step-by-step instructions for organizing and managing your classroom to support literacy learning and independence. Click here for details! |
- Computer virus infects Arizona school district's computers
Arizona's Tucson school district is using temporary restrictions to prevent a repeat of the Conficker virus infecting computers. The virus affected desktop computers and servers throughout the district. Students and staff have been asked to not use flash drives and to not link personal computers to the district's network. Social-networking Web sites or sites that stream audio or video have also been disabled. Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)
(9/22)
 | Google Apps makes "All of the Above" an easy answer
Build your 21st Century classroom with free, easy, secure Google Apps – communication and collaboration tools for teachers, schools, and students. Now includes free Google Message Security. |
| Policy Watch |  | |
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- Indiana school officials believe state could qualify for federal money
The requirements to receive a portion of $4.4 billion in federal education stimulus funds are not known, but officials in Indiana feel confident that by agreeing to major reforms, they have a shot at being one of the states selected. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Indiana education," Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett said. "We have a very clear message from Washington, D.C., that is very consistent with our message." The Indianapolis Star
(9/20)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Bring your staff to Kelly Gallagher's classroom for an in-depth look at instruction that spurs students to internalize the habits and skills of good writers. Improving Adolescent Writers is a 3-part DVD series with over 120 minutes of classroom footage and commentary by Kelly. Includes a 16-page viewing guide. Click here to view 3 sample clips online!
Singapore Math: Number Sense and Computational Strategies — a brand-new online course from SDE! Do your students cringe when it's time to pull out their math books? Make math more intuitive, interesting, and relevant for them with dozens of new strategies. SDE online courses are convenient, fun, fast—and fit perfectly with your lifestyle. All for $129! Register now!
New! There is no silver bullet; no matter how many new initiatives districts use, the magic won't just "happen." Six Pillars of Dynamic Schools, from Educational Research Service, defines the six fundamental processes—pillars—that must be ongoing in order to sustain meaningful change on the road to dynamic schools. Order now, or view table of contents.
4 Strategies for Technology-Driven Student Achievement
Pull up a virtual chair and listen in as 4 state and district education leaders discuss how they've employed classroom technology to help their students (and teachers) reach new levels of achievement.
Free On-Demand Webinar – View Now.
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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- California parents strive to keep children fluent in Spanish
A weekend program in California fosters children's knowledge of their Latin American cultural heritage and Spanish language. Parents pay for Grupo Educa instructors and say it is needed to instill cultural pride, keep communication open between generations and remove any stigma attached to speaking Spanish. "I don't want my children to lose their ability to speak a second language," says a parent. "If you don't speak Spanish, the doors to your past and to your identity start to close." Los Angeles Times
(9/22)
- Education levels are linked to eating disorders in girls
Girls who do well academically and come from highly educated households are more likely to develop an eating disorder, according to a study done in Sweden. Researchers said that as education levels of parents or grandmothers increased, so did a girl's risk of being hospitalized for anorexia or other eating disorders. Reuters
(9/18)
| Association News | | |
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Recruiting New Teachers to Urban School Districts: What Incentives Will Work?
Many states and urban districts are experimenting with financial incentives to attract and retain high-quality teachers in high-need, low-achieving or hard-to-staff urban schools. The latest issue of International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership explores research aimed at uncovering how teachers make job choices, what they perceive as important about districts and schools in the context of their future job choices and how much of a financial incentive would be needed to motivate them to take a job in a high-need district or school.
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Carnegie Report Calls for a Revolution in Adolescent Literacy
A Time to Act, the final report released last week by the Carnegie Corp. of New York's Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy, calls on education leaders to restructure schools around literacy, particularly in grades 4 through 12. An ASCD blog post highlights the report's suggested best practices and recommendations for improving adolescent literacy instruction. The post also draws attention to the report's emphasis on the importance of teaching reading within the nuanced context of each subject area and beyond the current concentration on decoding skills in kindergarten through third grade.
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 Faculty of Education Specialist | Northwest Nazarene University, Department of Education | Nampa, Idaho |
| Head of Upper School | Collegiate School | Richmond, VA |
| Mondo Publishing Project Manager/Professional Development | Mondo Publishing | NYC w/travel throughout US |
| K - 12 Teachers and Administrators | International Schools Services | Worldwide |
| Literacy Education, Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track | Teachers College, Columbia University | New York, New York |
| Head of School | American Education Group | Western & Southwestern U.S. |
| Founding Principal - College Prep Academy | Lighthouse Academies | Northwest Indiana |
| Teacher Education/Elementary Education | Keene State College | Keene, New Hampshire |
| Director/CEO | Dual Immersion Academy | Salt Lake City |
| Director, Healthy School Communities | ASCD | Alexandria, VA |
| Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education | Moravian College | Bethlehem, PA |
| Sales Manager Educational Curriculum | IRIS Media, Inc. | Eugene, OR |
| Coaching and Learning Program Director, Achievement Program | National Heritage Academies | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Executive Director | San Francisco School Alliance | San Francisco, CA |
| Dean / Assistant Principal | National Heritage Academies | Dayton, Ohio |
| Assistant Principal - Buffalo United Charter School | National Heritage Academies | Buffalo, NY |
| Director of Career Technical Education Partnership | Raritan Valley Community College | North Branch, NJ |
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