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Archives The last couple month's worth of ECS' e-Connection may be accessed below. Please note that key items from previous issues appear in various places on the ECS Web site. For example, "Good Reads" have been placed in the "Research and Readings" category of the Education Issue sites to which they pertain. Items from "What States Are Doing" also appear in the Education Issue sites under the category by the same name. ____________________________________________________________________________________ January 30, 2012 NEW ECS PRODUCTS DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP – This issue of The Progress of Education Reform includes a closer look at the characteristics of digital natives and provides a summary of research about digital natives' civic engagement habits and the implications of this research for education policy aimed at promoting digital citizenship for today's youth. ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE AT-RISK – A recently-entered research study examines what constitutes effective teaching, particularly with at-risk or highly mobile students. WHAT STATES ARE DOING REFORM – MASSACHUSETTS Governor Deval Patrick filed his Fiscal Year 2013 budget recommendation, which included record-high state aid for K-12 education of $4.136 billion, $10 million towards promoting efforts to close the achievement gap in “Gateway Cities,” and $219 million to community colleges (an increase of $10 million from last year) to support reforming the community college system to address the skills gap and expand employment opportunity. DATA – Click here to check out one specific aspect of MICHIGAN's new education dashboard. See the left side of page for more information on student outcomes, school accountability and other indicators. GOOD READS CHARTER SCHOOLS – The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) released its fourth annual report: The State of Charter School Authorizing 2011. The report outlines the results of NACSA's Authorizer Survey and offers a profile of charter school authorizers, an index of essential practices, and a closer look at opening and closing schools. PENSION – This brief guide from Education Sector shows you how and why pension programs affect your state's efforts to attract and retain the best teachers. It outlines five key areas you should consider as you evaluate proposed changes and ends with questions you need to ask about your state's pension system. EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS – On Track for Success represents the first national assessment of Early Warning Indicator and Intervention Systems (EWS) at the district, state and national levels. It shares evidence from the latest research and best practices from the field so that parents, educators, administrators, business leaders and legislators can be better equipped to keep children on track to graduate high school, prepared for college and career success. TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS – A new report from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation presents an in-depth discussion of combining high-quality classroom observations with student surveys and achievement gains to evaluate teachers. The report focuses on five different approaches to classroom observations in order to determine the value of each. TEACHER QUALITY – The National Center on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released its 2011 State Teacher Policy Yearbook. Click here to see how your state was graded, or here to download the full report. ANNOUNCEMENTS JACK JENNINGS, the well-known and respected President and CEO of the Center for Education Policy, will retire effective January 31. Jennings founded CEP seventeen years ago and in anticipation of leaving his position, wrote Reflections on a Half-Century of School Reform: Why Have We Fallen Short and Where Do We Go From Here? This paper summarizes Jennings' reflections on 44 years of helping to form and research education policy. ED FACT DISTANCE EDUCATION – "Districts reported that the types of distance education courses in which students enrolled were credit recovery (62%), dual enrollment (47%), Advanced Placement (29%), career and technical education (27%), and other types of academic courses (65%)." Source: Queen, B., and Lewis, L. (2011). Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2009–10 (NCES 2012-008). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. January 24, 2012 NEW ECS PRODUCTS 12 FOR 2012 – This report identifies 12 important issues on tap for 2012. It notes the benefits states will see when they address the highlighted issues, the challenges to adoption or implementation they may face, as well as positive signs toward successfully taking on these policy areas. STATE OF THE STATES – View ECS summaries of the 2012 State of the State addresses by topic or by state. WHAT STATES ARE DOING REFORM – MAINE Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen released a first draft of the state's "Plan for Putting Learners First," a strategic plan that sets out objectives and action steps for building an education system in Maine that meets the needs of all learners, from early childhood into adulthood, and prepares them for college, careers, and civic life. REFORM – The CONNECTICUT State Board of Education approved a reorganization plan for the Department of Education. The plan includes new leadership roles supported by reorganized divisions and merging information technology operations with the Department of Administrative Services. TECHNOLOGY – Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist announced that the RHODE ISLAND Department of Education (RIDE) will award a $470,000 grant to support the redesign of a school that will use technology to transform education. P-3 – NORTH CAROLINA offers a Web site with school readiness resources for schools and communities. Does your state have a similar resource for early educators? E-mail us and share it with ECS. GOOD READS SCHOOL LEADERSHIP – The Wallace Foundation released a perspective outlining five key responsibilities of effective principals that result in improved outcomes for students, the culmination of a decade of work in the area of school leadership. CHARTER SCHOOLS – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released a report analyzing 42 state public charter school laws using the 20 essential components of the NAPCS model law. The authors score and rank state charter school laws in 2012 and compare to the 2011 results. DATA – The Data Quality Campaign's new national report explores the changing landscape of education policy and data, identifies four game-changing priorities, and offers details about the state of the states’ efforts to support effective data use. Reform – GEORGIA released its annual Top Ten report that identifies and analyzes the key issues facing the state in 2012 and offers courses of action to address them. Although the research in this report is state-specific, the issues and actions are thought-provoking for policymakers nationwide. RETURN ON EDUCATION – The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics issued this striking depiction of the benefits of continuing education. UPCOMING WEBINARS POSTSECONDARY FINANCE – Register today for tomorrow's Boosting College Completion webinar entitled, Legislative Efforts to Increase College Completion Through Finance Reform. This ECS event will explore recent policies enacted related to postsecondary finance, funding trends to watch and potential steps legislators can take to achieve state strategic goals. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, January 25 from 1:00–2:00 pm EST. Register today! ED FACT DISTANCE EDUCATION – "Fifty-five percent of public school districts reported having students enrolled in distance education courses in 2009–10. Among those districts, 96% reported having students enrolled in distance education courses at the high school level, 19% at the middle or junior high school level, 6% at the elementary school level, and 4% in combined or ungraded schools." Source: Queen, B., and Lewis, L. (2011). Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2009–10 (NCES 2012-008). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. [Accessed January 12, 2012.] January 17, 2012 WHAT STATES ARE DOING HEALTH AND FITNESS – UTAH State Superintendent Larry Shumway is asking education staff to create positive ways to increase fitness at school and district levels. Tools are available at the USOE Health and Physical Education Web site that will assist participants in their quest to improve fitness. P-3 – OHIO offers a Web site for early learning and school readiness resources. Does your state have a similar resource for early educators? Please e-mail ECS and share your state's story. PROGRESS – Education Week released the 16th edition of Quality Counts, its annual survey of education leaders. Authors found that, despite continued fiscal pressures, states and the nation saw incremental gains on key indicators. Read the summary findings and executive summary. GOOD READS EFFECTIVE TEACHING – A new study from researchers at Harvard and Columbia Universities concluded that value-added measures can be used to identify effective teachers, and that students of teachers identified as effective were more successful than their peers in a variety of long-term outcomes including college attendance, salaries and teenage pregnancies. Read the executive summary or download the full report. COMMON CORE – A new publication from Education Week looks at progress states have made in adopting and transitioning to the Common Core State Standards. The authors found that 46 of 47 states have developed a formal implementation plan, 45 of which include providing professional development to teachers. AT- RISK – This report from MDRC presents results from a rigorous evaluation of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, an intensive residential program that aims to "reclaim the lives of at-risk youth" who have dropped out. UPCOMING WEBINARS POSTSECONDARY FINANCE – Register today for ECS' Boosting College Completion webinar entitled, "Legislative Efforts to Increase College Completion Through Finance Reform." The session will explore recent policies enacted related to postsecondary finance, funding trends to watch, and potential steps legislators can take to achieve state strategic goals. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, January 25 from 1–2 pm EST. NAMES IN THE NEWS JOHN WHITE was named by Louisiana's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) as the State Superintendant of Education. White currently serves as the superintendent of the Recovery School District. ED FACT STEM Courses More Prevalent Today Than in the 1980s – "76% of 2009 high school graduates had taken algebra II, compared with 40% of their 1982 peers. Similarly, 70% of graduates in 2009 had taken chemistry, compared with 32% of graduates in 1982." January 9, 2012 NEW ECS PRODUCTS FINANCE – This brief provides an overview of the 2011-12 federal education budget, identifies programs that experienced significant funding changes from last year’s budget and breaks out 2011 vs. 2012 appropriations for key federal programs. ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE ELL – A recently-entered research study explores performance differences between ELL and non-ELL students, paying special attention to the relationship between students' ELL status and their level of opportunity to learn. WHAT STATES ARE DOING POSTSECONDARY – ILLINOIS legislation repeals and rewrites provisions regarding state oversight of private business and vocational schools. Among the numerous changes made by the Act: to receive and maintain state approval, schools must adhere to parameters for advertising programs of study, and maintain satisfactory student retention and graduation rates and state licensing examination or professional certification exam passage rates. COMMON CORE – The COLORADO Department of Higher Education has announced it will receive a Rockefeller grant to support the department’s work with the K-12 system in aligning postsecondary policies with the Common Core State Standards. Click here to read about the grant program and all ten states receiving grants. DIGITAL LEARNING – KANSAS provides a Web site containing open access resources and digital textbooks that are available within the public domain to assist educators in the process of digital learning. GOOD READS BULLYING – The U.S. Department of Justice released an overview of connections between bullying in schools, attendance and achievement. Among the key findings is that school engagement protects victims from truancy and low academic achievement. ONLINE ALGEBRA – REL Northeast and Islands researchers looked at the concept of offering 8th grade "algebra-ready" students access to an online Algebra I course. They found that students who took the online course scored higher on a year-end algebra assessment than their algebra-ready peers in the control schools and were twice as likely to take an advanced math course sequence in ninth and tenth grades. PHILANTHROPY – Grantmakers for Education released Benchmarking 2011, a report outlining trends in education philanthropy, including 2011 funding priorities and strategies. UPCOMING WEBINARS STEM – Tuesday January 17, from 2-3:00 p.m. EST, Education Week is hosting a webinar entitled The New Wave of STEM-Focused Schools. The webinar will explore the rationale for STEM schools, describe what they are and what they look like in practice. Click here to register. ANNOUNCEMENTS LESN - Melodye Bush has retired after many years with ECS, and Researcher Emily Workman will be taking over her Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN) duties. If you have LESN-related questions or concerns please email eworkman@ecs.org. ED FACT HEALTH – “Nearly 40% of children started kindergarten with a BMI in the top quartile of the growth charts (BMI > 75th percentile). This proportion increased significantly during the elementary school years, and the largest gains were between 1st and 3rd grades.” Source: Datar A., Shier V., Sturm R. “Changes in Body Mass During Elementary and Middle School in a National Cohort of Kindergarteners.” Pediatrics, Vol. 128, No. 6. (December 2011): 1411-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22106078. [Accessed January 3, 2012.] January 3, 2012 NEW ECS PRODUCTS Pre-K-12 LITERACY - This issue of The Progress of Education Reform examines: 1) low Pre-K-12 literacy levels nationally, especially for low-income and diverse student populations; 2) trends in U.S. students' reading proficiency since the 1970s; 3) the negative impacts correlated with low reading levels; and 4) policy recommendations for improving literacy instruction and achievement, particularly in the early grades. ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE ACCESS TO ALGEBRA – A recently entered research study assesses selective and “universal algebra” policies, including who is getting access to algebra and at what point in their educational careers. WHAT STATES ARE DOING RURAL - COLORADO Education Commissioner Robert Hammond announced the establishment of a Rural Education Council to oversee, support, conduct research and advocate for the needs, concerns and particular problems of rural education districts. A link to the rural report commissioned by the Colorado Department of Education is included in the announcement. GOOD READS MIDDLE SCHOOL – A new report from the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) examines how leaders can support fundamental changes to the middle grades. TEACHER PREPARATION – A recent policy brief from Education Sector discusses reforming teacher preparation, moving from inputs such as counting program graduates and placement rates, to measuring outcomes such as how well graduates are performing in the classroom. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – This report from the Center for American Progress outlines evidence-based approaches to professional development. In particular, see the conclusions for policy implications. AYP – The Center on Education Policy (CEP) released an analysis of AYP Results for 2010-11. Key findings include: an estimated 48% of the nation’s public schools did not make AYP in 2011 (up from 39% in 2010) and the percentage of public schools not making AYP in 2011 varied greatly by state, from about 11% in Wisconsin to about 89% in Florida. UPCOMING WEBINARS P-20 – The Alliance for Excellent Education is hosting a webinar entitled Going to Scale: Comprehensive Birth-Through-Grade-Twelve State Literacy Plans on Thursday, January 5 from 1–2:15pm EST. Click here to register. ANNOUNCEMENTS LESN - Melodye Bush has retired after many years with ECS, and Researcher Emily Workman will be taking over her Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN) duties. If you have LESN-related questions or concerns please e-mail eworkman@ecs.org. ED FACT NAEP – 17 states and the District of Columbia show improved mathematics scores from 2009 to 2011 NAEP. Five states showed improvements in 4th grade only, nine states showed improvement in 8th grade only and three states and the District of Columbia showed improvements in both grades. Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation’s Report Card: Findings in Brief Reading and Mathematics 2011: National Assessment of Educational Progress At Grades 4 And 8 (NCES 2012-459). Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. December 14, 2011 NEW ECS PRODUCTS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING – This ECS StateNote presents the current collective bargaining state policies across the 50 states. P-3 – The Road to High Quality Early Education, a product stemming from discussions during the 2011 ECS National Forum, outlines Colorado’s journey to provide quality early care and education to children in the state, as well as one classroom-level approach for achieving high-quality early education. ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS – A recently-entered research study reports the findings from a case study of urban school district effectiveness in raising achievement for all students and in reducing historic achievement gaps among student groups. WHAT STATES ARE DOING P-20 COUNCIL - ARIZONA Governor Jan Brewer issued an Executive Order establishing the Arizona Ready Education Council. Goals of the council include: increasing the number of 3rd graders reading at or near grade level; increasing the high school graduation rate; and doubling the number of baccalaureate degrees issued by Arizona institutions of higher education. POSTSECONDARY - The INDIANA Commission for Higher Education approved new policies designed to increase transfer options for college students and to improve graduation rates through performance‐based funding incentives for the state’s colleges and universities. 2011 RECAP: LITERACY – As the year draws to a close, you can find a snapshot on our website of what states have done in the area of literacy in 2011. GOOD READS PERSISTENTLY FAILING SCHOOLS - Public Agenda released this report entitled “What’s Trust Got to Do With It: A Communications and Engagement Guide for School Leaders Tackling the Problem of Persistently Failing Schools.” SCHOOL DISCIPLINE - This report from the Rennie Center might be Massachusetts-specific, but it holds implications for other states. Executive Summary: Act Out, Get Out? Considering the Impact of School Discipline Practices in Massachusetts. NAEP - NCES released their Trial Urban District Assessment last week, which includes representative samples of 4th- and 8th-grade public school students from 21 urban districts. Researchers list the cities that outperform and underperform large-city averages on the NAEP grade 4 and 8 reading and math assessments. States with participating urban districts can find their rankings here. UPCOMING WEBINARS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT – REL Northeast and Islands is hosting a webinar for researchers to present findings from A Descriptive Analysis of State-Supported Formative Assessment Initiatives in New York and Vermont. The webinar will take place Wednesday, December 14 from 3–4 p.m. EST. Click here to register. (The report was featured in e-Connection on 11/29/11) ED FACT BULLYING - “Higher percentages of students who reported any criminal victimization at school reported they were also the targets of traditional (63.5%) and electronic (19.8%) bullying than were student nonvictims (26.6% and 5.5%, respectively)” Source: DeVoe, J.F., and Bauer, L. (2011). Student Victimization in U.S. Schools: Results From the 2009 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCES 2012-314). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. December 5, 2011 ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE ESL – A recently-entered research study explores the impact of mother-child language interactions and literacy support on vocabulary development of Spanish-English bilingual children. WHAT STATES ARE DOING LEADERSHIP – NEBRASKA released a Teacher & Principal Performance Framework to define effective practices in order to improve teaching and learning. BULLYING – MINNESOTA Governor Mark Dayton signed an Executive Order establishing a Task Force on the Prevention of School Bullying. The task force will examine best practices and policies to prevent bullying and provide recommendations to the Governor and state legislature. ACHIEVEMENT GAPS – KENTUCKY’s Commissioner's Council on Raising Achievement/Closing Gaps released guidelines for closing achievement gaps for all children in the state. The document is designed to help parents and community members become engaged in their schools and districts. GOOD READS SCHOOL CHOICE – A new report from The Brookings Institution measures the degree to which school districts support school choice and competition. Researchers created an index that "provides an informative and consumer-relevant measure" of the degree of choice and competition within large school systems. TEACHER QUALITY – The New America Foundation issued a report outlining tools for identifying, promoting and rewarding effective teaching. The authors conclude that a robust system of professional development and objective evaluation can improve teaching through individualized feedback. UPCOMING WEBINARS TEACHER PREPARATION – Education Week is hosting a webinar entitled “Deepening and Strengthening Teacher Education” on Thursday, December 8 from noon to 1:00 pm EST. Click here to register. ED FACT Incidence of bullying is higher at schools with documented criminal victimization Source: DeVoe, J.F., and Bauer, L. (2011). Student Victimization in U.S. Schools: Results From the 2009 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCES 2012-314). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. November 29, 2011 ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE CURRICULUM DIFFERENTIATION – A recently-entered research study examines whether implementation of a common standards-based curriculum reduces tracking and curriculum differentiation. WHAT STATES ARE DOING PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) – The University of DELAWARE has a Web site dedicated to PBL complete with sample exercises to engage students in complex, challenging problems and collaboratively work toward their resolution. [Thank you to The Scout Report for this find.] P-3 – The MINNESOTA Department of Education released a study supporting the state's focus on high-quality early education. The report shows that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to be school ready upon entering kindergarten. LEARNING STUDIOS – NEW HAMPSHIRE is engaging Institutions of Higher Education in workshops promoting learning studios as a part of its “Next Generation Learning” initiative. Learning Studios offer a series of learning challenges for students, teachers and community members; teams of students and adults work together to address the learning challenges. GOOD READS SCHOOL FINANCE – The National Governors Association (NGA) and the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) released their Fall 2011 Fiscal Survey of the States. The organizations concluded that, while the overall fiscal condition of states has improved from the depths of the recession, states are facing a 'big squeeze' from both local and federal governments. MIGRATION – This tool from Forbes is one of our favorites. If you're concerned with the economic health of your state, check out counties in your state to see whether community members are moving in or moving away. [Thank you to The Scout Report for spotting it.] FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT – New research from the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands (REL-NEI) provides detailed analysis of how two states have supported implementation of formative assessment in local schools. In particular, see Appendices B & C for state-specific descriptions of components. ANNOUNCEMENTS RTTT – The U.S. Department of Education announced that seven states have submitted applications for a share of the $200 million Race to the Top Round 3 (RTT3) funds. The DOE invited the nine Round 2 finalists to apply for Round 3 funds earlier this month. NAMES IN THE NEWS JIM KOHLMOOS – has been named the next executive director of the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). Mr. Kohlmoos is presently the president and CEO of the Knowledge Alliance, a school-focused nonprofit and is a former education adviser from the Clinton administration. ED FACT SCHOOL READINESS – "More than two-thirds of teachers surveyed stated that 'Children are not adequately prepared for school,' and veteran kindergarten teachers believe that this situation is deteriorating." November 21, 2011 ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE PRINCIPAL EFFECTIVENESS – A recently-entered research study seeks to enhance understanding of principal effectiveness by examining a broad spectrum of practice. INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES – A recently-entered research study explores how teaching practices transmit or impact social capital. WHAT STATES ARE DOING EDUCATION OVERHAUL – NEW JERSEY Governor Chris Christie is pressing for the legislature to act on a set of bills that aims to change the way teachers earn and keep tenure; expand access to charter schools; offer vouchers for students in failing schools to attend private and parochial schools; and privatize some failing schools in the five lowest-performing districts. EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP – The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Educational Partnership awarded nearly $4.8 million in grants to the HAWAII Department of Education. $482,000 will support programs for blended learning, $1.9 million will go toward expanding the Hawaii Virtual Learning Network, and $1.3M will fund the expansion of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program. SEXUAL HARASSMENT – ECS recently compiled a table of state policies relating to sexual abuse or sexual harassment. While not a comprehensive listing, it provides a good snapshot of how states are addressing this issue. GOOD READS TEACHER EVALUATIONS – A new study from the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) summarizes finding from a two-year study of Chicago's Excellence in Teaching Pilot. The authors found that principal evaluations and value-added measures tied to student data identified the same teachers as particularly high or low-performing. COLLEGE COMPLETION – The American Association of State Colleges and Universities released A Guide to Major U.S. College Completion Initiatives to explain the myriad college completion initiatives that have arisen in recent years. SCHEDULING – This report from the Wallace Foundation explores ways to expand instructional time beyond the conventional six-hour-a-day, 180-day-a-year school calendar. The report provides examples of successful initiatives to expand learning time including building bridges between school and after-school or summer programs and finding extra time through innovative technology and scheduling. ECS JOB OPENINGS JOIN THE ECS TEAM - ECS is currently hiring a researcher to join the Information Clearinghouse. The researcher will design and conduct research for specific projects, programs and constituent requests, and participate in other research related activities, often as a contributing member of a team. We are accepting resumes through Nov. 30. Salary range is $32,000-$40,000, commensurate with experience. ANNOUNCEMENTS ECS is now accepting nominations for our three annual awards! ED FACT PHYSICAL EDUCATION - “Physical education is most commonly provided in grades 1-5 (90% of schools). The percentage of schools that provide physical education declines through middle school and reaches a low in grade 12 at 44% of schools.” Source: 2011 Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) Survey. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. November 14, 2011 NEW ECS PRODUCTS BULLYING AND OPEN ENROLLMENT – This report describes state policies to allow bullying victims, or bullies themselves, to transfer to another school or district. WHAT STATES ARE DOING EDUCATION POLICY – MASSACHUSETTS Governor Deval Patrick released an education agenda for his second term. The Governor has four main goals: (1) getting every child to reading proficiency by the 3rd grade; (2) providing every child with a healthy platform for education; (3) creating a differentiated education system that meets each student, particularly English Language Learners, where they are; and (4) preparing all students for college and career success. TEACHER EVALUATIONS – RHODE ISLAND’s Board of Regents approved new regulations linking teacher certification to evaluations. Educators who demonstrate "successful practice" through positive ratings on their annual evaluations will be eligible for renewal of their certification. Educators who receive evaluations of "ineffective" for five years in a row will lose their certification. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – KENTUCKY has been named as the demonstration state for a new initiative led by Learning Forward to create a statewide, comprehensive professional learning system to support educators as they implement Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and new student assessments. Six "critical friend" states will contribute to the development of the system's tools and strategies: Georgia, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Utah and Washington. Learning Forward is the former National Staff Development Council. GOOD READS DATA ANALYSIS – A new brief from Education Sector discusses how states can make college readiness feedback useful for schools by including transparent, thorough, timely and tailored data. For a state-by-state analysis on High School Feedback Information see this report from the Data Quality Campaign. DUAL ENROLLMENT - This report from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) describes various dual enrollment program models and the state and local policies and community contexts that shaped them. POSTSECONDARY COMPLETION – In this report American Institutes for Research (AIR) discusses the hidden costs of student attrition, including the cost to taxpayers of first-year attrition as well as the cumulative costs of failure. The report provides a state-by-state analysis as well as recommendations for reducing the hidden costs of low retention and completion rates. ANNOUNCEMENTS ECS is now accepting nominations for our three annual awards! NAMES IN THE NEWS TOMMY BICE was named as Alabama's new schools chief. The longtime educator is current serving as deputy superintendent in charge of instruction for the state. UPCOMING WEBINAR COMMUNITY COALITIONS – Education Week is hosting a Webinar entitled "Powerful Partnerships: Creating Community Coalitions for District Reform" on Tuesday, November 15 from 2-3pm EST. Register here. ED FACT HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS – "Combining data from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, approximately 607,000 public high school students dropped out of grades 9-12 during the 2008-09 school year." Source: Chapman, C., Laird, J., Ifill, N., and Kewal Ramani, A. (2011). Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 1972–2009 (NCES 2012-006). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 17th from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
November 7, 2011 ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE VALUE OF AN EDUCATION – Check out studies in our Research Studies Database that examine the educational and student factors that impact later earnings. (Click on individual study titles for full summaries.) WHAT STATES ARE DOING PERFORMANCE AWARDS – NEW YORK governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the launch of the School District Performance Improvement Awards program. The program will award up to $75 million in grants to school districts that have demonstrated success in increasing student performance, narrowing the achievement gap and increasing academic performance among students with the greatest educational needs. SOCIAL NETWORKING – MISSOURI’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced its presence on social networking Web sites Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. GOOD READS P-3 – The Center for Public Education (CPE) released findings on the lasting benefits of pre-K and kindergarten. Researchers found that students who attend pre-k and half-day kindergarten are more likely to have higher reading skills by the 3rd grade than students who attend full-day kindergarten alone. CPE is affiliated with the National School Boards Association. TEACHER EVALUATION – A new report from the Center for Evaluation and Education policy examines Indiana as a case study for revamping the teacher evaluation process. Don’t be put off by the state-specific nature of this report; it’s a good read for all states. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT – Check out this online resource developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to help students explore various career paths. ANNOUNCEMENTS GREEN SCHOOLS – 17 states have notified the U.S. Department of Education of plans to nominate schools for the Green Ribbon Schools program. The Green Ribbon Schools awards will recognize the highest performing green and healthy schools in the nation. High standards of nutrition, fitness, and outdoor time for both students and staff are among the qualifying criteria for the award. If you wish to nominate schools in your state you must notify the Department of Education by November 22. ECS is now accepting nominations for our three annual awards! ED FACT 2011 NAEP results Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation’s Report Card: Findings in Brief Reading and Mathematics 2011: National Assessment of Educational Progress At Grades 4 And 8 (NCES 2012-459). Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. October 31, 2011 NEW ECS PRODUCTS DUAL ENROLLMENT - In this PowerPoint, ECS Senior Policy Analyst Jennifer Dounay Zinth identifies the 13 essential components of a state-level dual enrollment policy (presented October 25, 2011 at National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships [NACEP] National Conference) ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE TEACHER ATTRITION – A recently-entered research study provides a nuanced analysis of teacher attrition, quantifying the problem and examining differences in teacher and organizational characteristics. WHAT STATES ARE DOING CAREER EDUCATION – A new report found that CALIFORNIA Partnership Academies (CPAs) are having positive results on high school graduation rates and college readiness. The Academies focus on rigorous academics and career technical education, with many CPAs emphasizing a Linked Learning approach, which connects academics to real-world experience. [Caution: large file, slow to open.] P-3 – New York State's Board of Regents has approved the development of a kindergarten readiness tool for the 2014-15 school year. The Board also called for creation of a Kindergarten Readiness Advisory Council made up of expert stakeholders from around the state to provide advice for the development of the tool. GOOD READS TEACHER EVALUATIONS – The National Council on Teacher Quality released a study outlining trends and early lessons on teacher evaluation and effectiveness policies. The study offers a state-by-state look at teacher effectiveness policies, paying close attention to the 17 states and District of Columbia that are giving student achievement a significant role in assessing teacher performance. CHARTER SCHOOLS – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released its sixth edition of A Growing Movement: America’s Largest Charter School Communities. The organization found that a record number of school districts, six, now have at least 30% of their public school students enrolled in public charter schools. TEACHER TRAINING – A working paper from the Center for Education Data and Research examines the impact that individual teacher training institutions in Washington State have on the effectiveness of teachers they train, in terms of student achievement. UPCOMING MEETINGS TIME AND LEARNING –NCSL has organized a 2011 LESN Fall Seminar to be held the first weekend in December in Tampa, Florida. The topic of the seminar is A Look at the Research and Policy Around Time and Learning, which will focus on expanding learning opportunities. Thanks to funding from the Wallace Foundation, NCSL is able to cover expenses for airfare, ground transportation, meals and lodging for 30 participants with a limit of two per state on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrants must be education staff employed by a state legislature. The invitation and registration form are provided. ANNOUNCEMENTS ECS is now accepting nominations for our three annual awards! ED FACT For states that made substantive changes in assessments between 2007 and 2009, most moved toward more rigorous standards, as measured by NAEP Source: Mapping State Proficiency Standards Onto the NAEP Scales: Variation and Change in State Standards for Reading and Mathematics, 2005–2009 (NCES 2011-458). U.S. Department of Education (August 2011). Accessed August 24, 2011 from http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/studies/2011458.pdf. October 24, 2011 ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE LITERACY – A recently-entered research study examines an important subject — the influence of vocabulary knowledge on reading comprehension for adult readers. WHAT STATES ARE DOING P-20 – The state of WASHINGTON's Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) has released High School feedback reports for schools and districts. The reports were developed in partnership with K-12 and postsecondary agency staff and stakeholders as part of the ARRA P-20 grant effort. STEM - MASSACHUSETTS Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray announced the launch of the WOW Initiative, a statewide public awareness campaign designed to engage, educate and "wow" Massachusetts students into realizing the opportunities in STEM careers. ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY – Virginia Beach, VIRGINIA launched an environmental education initiative that will provide hands-on Chesapeake Bay field experiences and related classroom activities for local 6th-grade students, as well as professional development for middle and high school biology and oceanography teachers. [Side note: last month the U.S. Department of Education announced the Green Ribbon Schools program, which recognizes schools that reduce environmental impact on their communities.] GOOD READS DIGITAL LEARNING – Digital Learning Now! released a Roadmap for Reform, a guide for Governors, chief state school officers and lawmakers for adopting policies to transform education for the digital age. The report outlines 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning, and accompanies each element with a comprehensive framework of state-level policies and actions to advance the meaningful and thoughtful integration of technology into K-12 public education. STEM – The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce released a report discussing STEM worker shortages in the global economy. Researchers conclude that STEM shortages now extend beyond traditional STEM occupations, as innovation and technology change have led to demand for STEM competencies across the entire economy. Click here for the executive summary or here for a state-by-state analysis. TEACHER PREPARATION – The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research released a brief on grade inflation among education majors. The authors assert that grades awarded in university education departments are consistently higher than grades in other disciplines and that it is part of a larger culture of low standards for educators. UPCOMING MEETINGS AND WEBINARS TIME AND LEARNING – NCSL has organized a 2011 LESN Fall Seminar to be held the first weekend in December in Tampa, Florida. The topic of the seminar is A Look at the Research and Policy Around Time and Learning, which will focus on expanding learning opportunities. Thanks to funding from the Wallace Foundation, NCSL is able to cover expenses for airfare, ground transportation, meals and lodging for 30 participants with a limit of two per state on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrants must be education staff employed by a state legislature. The invitation and registration form are provided. P-3 – REL Northeast & Islands and REL Midwest are hosting a cross-REL webinar entitled Developing Preschool Language and Literacy on Tuesday, October 25 from 3:00–4:30pm EST. The webinar will present research and strategies specifically targeted at developing language and literacy skills at the preschool level. EDUCATION REFORM – The Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (www.iskme.org) is hosting its annual Big Ideas Fest on December 4-7, 2011, in Half Moon Bay, California. The three-day conference includes numerous speakers and interactive Action Collabs designed to incubate solutions to address education's most pressing challenges. Register here, or email bigideas@iskme.org with any questions. ED FACT The majority of 2011 seniors met College Readiness benchmarks in English; less than half were prepared for postsecondary science or mathematics Source: The Condition of College & Career Readiness: 2011. ACT, Inc. (August 2011). October 17, 2011 NEW ECS PRODUCTS PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE – This issue of The Progress of Education Reform describes pay for performance models and presents recent research findings and their implications for policy. ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS – Check out studies in our Research Studies Database that answer the question: how do state standards, assessments and curriculum influence achievement? (Click on individual study titles for full summaries.) WHAT STATES ARE DOING LITERACY – Check out WYOMING’s Comprehensive Literacy Plan Birth-Grade 12. ELL –NEW YORK has approved a new New York City plan to provide more program options, supports and services for English Language Learners and their families. Under the agreement, New York City has committed to opening 125 new bilingual programs in the next three years, concentrated in areas with greater need. GOOD READS INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS – The latest report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) explores comparative indicators of education in the United States and other G-8 countries in 2011. Of all G-8 countries, the US awarded the lowest percentage of first degrees in science, math and engineering-related fields. TEACHER QUALITY – A new policy brief from Public Impact discusses the importance of excellent teachers for all students. The authors conclude that if the U.S. consistently provides students with excellent teachers, we could close most the nation’s achievement gaps in just five years. STUDENT INCENTIVES – The authors of a Hamilton Project discussion paper contend that well-designed rewards for students can improve achievement at relatively low costs and offer a series of guidelines for designing successful educational incentive programs. UPCOMING MEETINGS AND WEBINARS TIME AND LEARNING – NCSL has organized a 2011 LESN Fall Seminar to be held the first weekend in December in Tampa, Florida. The topic of the seminar is A Look at the Research and Policy Around Time and Learning, which will focus on expanding learning opportunities. Thanks to funding from the Wallace Foundation, NCSL is able to cover expenses for airfare, ground transportation, meals and lodging for 30 participants with a limit of two per state on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrants must be education staff employed by a state legislature. The invitation and registration form are provided. NAMES IN THE NEWS Michael T. Nettles, one of the nation's leading education researchers and experts on achievement gaps, has been selected to head a newly created Early Childhood Research Center at Educational Testing Service (ETS). Nettles is currently Senior Vice President of ETS's Policy Evaluation & Research Center (PERC) and will integrate the Early Childhood Research Center into PERC, which also includes the Policy Information Center. ED FACT Math proficiency varies widely by ethnic group as measured by NAEP scores for the high-school graduating Class of 2011 Source: Globally Challenged: Are U. S. Students Ready to Compete? The latest on each state’s international standing in math and reading. Paul E. Peterson, Ludger Woessmann, Eric A. Hanushek and Carlos X. Lastra-Anadón. Program on Education Policy & Governance, Harvard University (August 2011). October 10, 2011 ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE SCHOOL ORGANIZATION – A recently entered research study examines whether school structures (K-8, K-4, etc.) matter. P-3 – This Research Review is a snapshot of five recent research studies that address reading and literacy in the early grades. The studies examine topics such as: parental investment in education, instructional practices in a balanced literacy approach, late-emerging reading difficulties, phonics and integrated language arts, and family literacy programs. WHAT STATES ARE DOING DUAL ENROLLMENT – KENTUCKY’s new "three-agency" agreement expands dual enrollment to include career and technical education. EDUCATION REFORM – IOWA Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds unveiled their blueprint for transforming Iowa’s education system. GOOD READS DATA – The 2012 Statistical Abstract has been released! In particular, click on the education section in the column on the left. COLLEGE COMPLETION – A new report from Complete College America explores why today’s college students aren’t graduating and outlines policies that could improve completion rates. View a snapshot of your state here or a summary of the report here. STUDENT DISCIPLINE – This policy brief from the National Education Policy Center documents how removing students from classrooms for minor disciplinary issues harms overall achievement goals and does not improve education for the remaining students. A companion brief offers policy recommendations to improve data collection and advance discipline alternatives that can be adopted by state and federal policymakers. UPCOMING WEBINARS COLLEGE COMPLETION – Education Week is hosting a webinar entitled "Unlocking the Secrets of College Retention" on Tuesday, October 18 from 2 to 3 pm EST. Click here to register. ED FACT United States ranks 32nd in math performance among countries participating in PISA Source: Globally Challenged: Are U. S. Students Ready to Compete? The latest on each state’s international standing in math and reading. Paul E. Peterson, Ludger Woessmann, Eric A. Hanushek and Carlos X. Lastra-Anadón. Program on Education Policy & Governance, Harvard University (August 2011). October 3, 2011 ECS RESEARCH STUDIES DATABASE LEADERSHIP/ELL – A newly entered research study explores characteristics of effective English Language Learner (ELL) models, the factors that principals should consider when selecting a model to use to help immigrant students, and the key role principals can play in facilitating ELL in urban schools. WHAT STATES ARE DOING IMMIGRATION – U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Blackburn of Birmingham, ALABAMA refused to block a provision of a controversial Alabama law on immigration that mandates that schools check the immigration status of incoming students. Alabama's interim state school superintendent, Larry Craven, said public schools will comply with the law, but no one will be denied admission if their parents fail to provide documentation of citizenship. INTERVENTION – MASSACHUSETTS published guidelines for the implementation of social and emotional learning curricula in kindergarten to grade 12. The guidelines were required under chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010: An Act relative to Bullying in Schools. SUSTAINABILITY –CALIFORNIA State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson announced the release of the state's Schools of the Future report outlining a commitment to modernization of facilities, efficiency and renewable energy. GOOD READS TEACHER EVALUATION – A new report from Communities for Teaching Excellence examines the limitations of current teacher evaluation systems, reviews promising research-based reform strategies, and provides examples from states and school districts that have begun to put systems in place that rely on research and best practices. P-3 – The Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Appalachia at CAN released a study examining the first four years of Tennessee's Voluntary Prekindergarten program. Researchers found that the proportion of eligible children served increased from 18 to 42%, with greatest increases for minority and special education students. WEBINARS Blended Learning – Education Week is hosting a webinar Wednesday, October 5 from 2 to 3 p.m. EST entitled Small Districts Make A Difference With Blended Learning. Click here to register. ED FACT Early learning guidelines on the rise - “Over the past six years, at least 22 states have produced voluntary early learning guidelines for children ages 0-2, outlining the skills and knowledge most children are expected to have upon reaching certain developmental milestones.” Source: Does Preschool Education Policy Impact Infant/Toddler Care? Debra J. Ackerman and W. Steven Barnett. National Institute for Early Education Research. Accessed August 24, 2011 from http://nieer.org/resources/factsheets/23.pdf. |
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