2009 Award Nominations

Each year at our National Forum on Education Policy, the Education Commission of the States presents several awards to persons, states and organizations that have made significant contributions to public education. You can submit a nomination by fax or mail by downloading and completing the nomination form. See the ECS Awards page for more information.

Lumina Foundation for Education Awards $1.4 Million Grant to the Education Commission of the States, UMass Boston

Today the Education Commission of the States (ECS), in collaboration with the National Access and Remediation Policy Project (NARPP) at the University of Massachusetts Boston, announces receipt of a Lumina Foundation grant. The focus of the $1.4 million award will be on "Getting Past Go," an initiative to improve college success rates of students enrolled in developmental or remedial education. Read full press release.

Renewing the Civic Mission of Schools

The October issue of The School Administrator features a joint article by ECS' National Center for Learning and Citizenship Executive Director Terry Pickeral and Charles C. Haynes, senior scholar at the First Amendment Center. For democracy to flourish, public education must play a central role in promoting responsible moral action that serves the common good.
Read the full article.

"Under 'No Child' Law, Even Solid Schools Falter"
NEW YORK TIMES
Far more schools failed to meet No Child Left Behind testing targets than in any previous year, according to New York Times state-by-state analysis. Part of the problem is that about half the states set low rates of student achievement growth toward 100% proficiency for the first few years and steeper rates thereafter. The law also has tended to punish states with high academic standards and rigorous tests, which have contributed to an increasing pileup of failed schools.

See all of today's e-Clips stories

Rising State Investments in Pre-K

For fiscal year 2009, 32 state legislatures and the Council of the District of Columbia acted to increase their investments in high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten programs even in the face of declining revenues and rising deficits. These increases will bring the total state pre-k funding to a record of $5.2 billion nationally.

Source: Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2009, Pre-K Now

The Progress of Education Reform: Community College Success
This issue of Progress of Education Reform looks at the latest research on student success in community colleges and offers insights on the strategies that show the most promise in promoting greater educational attainment for community college students.

See previous issues of The Progress of Education Reform

High school reform: Four new databases:

• Adolescent literacy
• Postsecondary feedback systems
• Career and technical education
• Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

These databases were released in June and July 2008. Data points indicate key components for state leaders to consider in evaluating their own state policy approaches.

Service-Learning Policies and Practices
A Research-Based Advocacy Paper

This paper, produced by ECS' National Center for Learning and Citizenship, translates service-learning’s research-based evidence for education leaders and identifies best practices and policies. Learn more about the five critical components for effectiveness: vision and leadership, curriculum and assessment, community-school partnerships, professional development and continuous improvement.

See all StateNotes

Adolescent Literacy (September 2008)

Virtual High Schools (August 2008)

State Funding Programs for High-Cost Special Education Students (May 2008)

School Prayer, Moment of Silence, Other Policies Concerning Religion (March 2008)

State Education Governance Models (March 2008)

Issues in Funding Early & Middle College High Schools (March 2008)

Cost Per-Day for Extended School Year (Feb. 2008)

From Competing to Leading: An International Benchmarking Blueprint

International Benchmarking is the alignment of standards, instruction, professional development and assessment to those of the highest-performing countries. This Blueprint presents the rationale why states should consider benchmarking to international standards as well as describing policy recommendations for policymakers and education leaders. This is the first action guide of its kind to enable states, districts and schools to craft new policies and adjust existing policies proven to demonstrate world-class performance.
Download the full PDF.

Middle and High Schoolers get Hands-on STEM Experience
Kathy Christie, ECS Chief of Staff
(reprinted with permission from Phi Delta Kappan, September 2008 issue)

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been hot stuff in 2008.
Pick up a magazine or newspaper, and STEM is there. STEM subjects relate to invention,
industry, and commerce. They relate to chemistry and electricity and health. Far greater numbers of kids need to know more and be able to understand why things work the way they do. One could safely predict that state economies rise and fall in direct proportion to the knowledge and skills of each state’s graduates. Read the full column.