[Ohiogift] Public Education NewsBlast returns

[Art Snyder]

 Friends:

Good news! The PEN NewsBlast -- a longtime favorite of all who want to keep abreast of education news -- has returned. It's now known as Public Education NewsBlast, and you can read the debut issue pasted below.

Best wishes,

 Art Snyder
============================================================


                                     
                March 26, 2013 - In This Issue:
       Re-launch of the PEN NewsBlast
  So that knowledge is indeed powerful
  Supply and demand
  Bellweather
  A critical juncture
  On the rise
  A cohering model, 20 years out
  Teacher education now
  It works
  Briefly noted
  Grants and funding opportunities
                             
Introducing the re-launch of the PEN NewsBlast, now the Public Education NewsBlast.
 
Greetings! If you're receiving this edition of the LAEP NewsBlast, it's because you received the PEN NewsBlast in the past or you are part of LAEP's network of teachers, administrators and community members.  
 
For eight years, the PEN NewsBlast has been a vital information resource for the education reform community. When the Public Education Network closed its doors in December 2012, the Barr Foundation provided funding to continue the NewsBlast, and the Los Angeles Education Partnership, an original PEN member, agreed to host its timely delivery of each week's education news and research to you.  LAEP has retained the same editor and format, and will continue to refine our output as the NewsBlast grows under our stewardship.

               
So that knowledge is indeed powerful
For years, a central motif of the narrative surrounding No Excuses charter schools has been their high college-acceptance rates, but what about rates for college completion? asks Robert Pondiscio in Education Next. KIPP's College Completion Report (2011), which Pondiscio calls "a laudable exercise in transparency," found that 33 percent of the earliest KIPP cohorts of middle-schoolers graduated college within six years, four times the average of students from underserved communities and slightly higher than for all U.S. students. To improve completion rates, KIPP has identified critical factors: enhanced academic preparedness; "grit," self-control, and optimism; students matched with the right colleges; social and academic integration on campus; and college affordability. KIPP has forged partnerships with 20 colleges--including Franklin & Marshall, the University of Houston, Tulane, Morehouse, Spelman, Syracuse, Duke, and New York City's Hunter College--that offer enhanced commitment and support to KIPP alumni. The "KIPP Through College" program provides services from middle school through college and beyond, including college placement, financial literacy, mentorships, college and career advisement, and one-to-one support. This formula for getting students to and through college will soon be tested at scale: In 2016, KIPP alumni in college will number 10,000. More
 

 Supply and demand
Non-degree certificates are the fastest-growing form of post secondary credential, valued for equipping workers with skills in high demand, according to Steven Greenhouse in The New York Times. A recent report from Georgetown University found men with certificates in computer/information services averaged $72,498 annually--earning more than 72 percent of men with associate's degrees and 54 percent of men with bachelor's degrees. Women with certificates earned more than 75 percent of women with associate's degrees and 64 percent with bachelor's degrees. But though certificates have grown in number and importance, federal financial aid still overwhelmingly funds students in traditional degree programs, even while employers complain of too few job applicants with needed skills. With many college graduates currently unemployed, and forecasts showing that 18 of the nation's 20 fastest-growing occupations will not require bachelor's degrees, some are urging young Americans to consider a different post-secondary path. At the same time, many that would seek certificates "are financially very fragile," says Robert Templin Jr., president of Northern Virginia Community College. "Tuition is often cost-prohibitive. And not having a source of reliable student aid discourages institutions like ours from offering some of these training programs for job categories that are among the fastest growing in the nation." More
Related Article 
 

Bellwether
A new report from Excelencia in Education looks at undergraduate financial aid through a "Latino lens": Latinos are representative of the growing majority of students--a post-traditional profile, where students enroll at a community college, take courses part-time while working, study online and at multiple institutions, live off-campus with family, and take more than four years to complete a degree. Yet a conventional student profile drives public policy. Accordingly, the report urges the federal government to prioritize access to financial aid for low-income students, present it in a simplified process, and complement increased access with incentives for college completion. Given that funding alone can't guarantee college completion--especially for post-traditional students--aligned support services should reinforce the government's investment, targeting services relevant to post-traditional concerns. Transparency of information about college performance and cost must reach those in need of information through intentional outreach and engagement of diverse communities. "Education is part of the Infrastructure of Opportunity that enables Americans to pursue their dreams," says Rep. Joaquin Castro (Texas). "It is critical that we review and improve federal financial aid policies that reflect the needs of all of today's students, recognizing that Latinos have the fastest-growing enrollment in higher education." More
 

A critical juncture
A new report from the American Dream 2.0 Coalition argues that unless our nation ushers more citizens through college graduation, society will divide into post-secondary haves and have-nots and the economy will founder. Federal aid programs are a common-sense part of the solution. The same investment that gets students into college can be put toward helping them finish. The report therefore calls for policies that focus federal resources on the neediest students; innovate and evaluate new strategies to make quality education affordable and better suited for today's students, including increasing numbers of adult matriculants; simplify aid and present students and parents with a transparent picture of college costs, repayment obligations, and career and earnings prospects; and hold institutions, states, and students accountable for completion. As a nation, we have no time to waste: By 2018, the United States will need 22 million more credentials to fill good jobs--but will fall short by three million. "The moral imperative is huge, because we have failed too many people in early childhood and K-12 education," says Dr. Michael McPherson, president of the Spencer Foundation and chair of the coalition. "We cannot abandon them now. For most, a postsecondary credential is their only way to success." More 
On the rise
As part of its 12th Brown Center Report on American Education, the Brookings Institution has released a report that finds a resurgence of ability-grouping in the elementary school (4th grade), based on the most recent NAEP data. Whereas student tracking occurs between classes with different teachers and curricula and is most common in high school, ability-grouping occurs within classes and predominates in elementary school. Grouping students by ability, no matter how it's done, inevitably separates by characteristics correlated statistically with measures of ability that include race, ethnicity, native language, and class, and for this reason the practice fell into disfavor in the 1990s. Yet the NAEP indicates the practice has "skyrocketed" in the 4th grade for reading instruction, from 28 percent in 1998 to 71 percent in 2009. Does this trend matter? Some studies find mild beneficial effects for ability-grouping, while others suggest lower-grouped students learn substantially less. At the beginning of the 1990s, both tracking and ability grouping were conventional practices in decline due to high public scrutiny. Now, given both accountability systems and the rise of technology-driven "differentiated instruction" a resurgence is underway, with a likelihood that Common Core standards will exacerbate grouping tendencies. More
Related Article
 
           A cohering model, 20 years out
A new report from the Center for American Progress examines mayoral control of school districts, which has arisen in urban systems over the past 20 years, and in the view of the authors has promoted coherence in otherwise highly fragmented urban systems. As an institutional redesign, mayoral governance can integrate school-district accountability and the electoral process at a system-wide level, since school boards are typically elected by fewer than 10 percent of eligible voters, whereas mayoral races poll half the electorate. Under mayoral control, citywide priorities can receive focused attention, and resources can be allocated more strategically. Data over the past decade indicate that mayoral-control districts have improved overall performance relative to other districts' performance in respective states. The authors also draw several lessons. To turn around a low-performing district, they say an education mayor is necessary, but his or her mere presence is insufficient--the mayor must be ready to act. Cities considering mayoral governance must also adapt the model to their unique local context. Once established, mayoral governance cannot rely on early success but must reinvent itself. Finally, the future of mayoral control must involve authorization of diverse providers and charter schools. More
 

    Teacher education now
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) has released a new report that profiles the current progress and challenges of higher-education teacher preparation, using the most recent information from its Professional Education Data System (PEDS). The data show that public perception notwithstanding, teacher-preparation programs are admitting academically competitive candidates: The average GPA of students at the initial certification level is 3.24. The study also finds extensive clinical experiences are being incorporated into higher-education-based teacher-preparation programs, and a significant number of hours are now spent in early field experiences, averaging 13 to 16 weeks. About 70 percent of institutions reporting data were tracking their graduates in the field; half had successfully obtained placement data, but only 8 percent had secured state value-added data about graduates. Ninety-eight percent of programs prepare aspiring teachers to use technology for instruction, and 62 percent have technology-related requirements for graduation or program completion. The use of performance-based exit measures is also on the rise, but chronic shortages of candidates in math and science, and a limited diversity of candidates, persist. More
 

It works
A one-day seminar at the California Endowment organized by the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) and the Coalition for Community Schools drew 120 participants on March 18, 2013, from California, Oregon, Washington state, and Washington, DC. As a proven strategy, community schools have "results that can be stunning," said LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy during opening remarks. "Community schools have helped LAUSD incubate models that work for communities and students in a district where 83 percent of its 664,233 students live in peril or poverty." Three keynote speakers described how community schools align resources to local needs, in contrast to a traditional model where organizations and resources operate in silos. Martin Blank of the National Coalition for Community Schools discussed addressing all dimensions of a student's life and involving teachers, parents, and the community to promote student success. Ed Walsh of the Pasadena Public Health Department spoke about the impact of education on community health. José Navarro, principal at LAEP community school Social Justice Humanitas Academy, explained how teachers benefit from community schools. The seminar was a collaborative effort between LAEP, Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA 32nd district), CA Senator Carol Liu (CA 21st district), LAUSD Board Member Nury Martinez, and Pasadena Unified School District Board Member Ed Honowitz. More


BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA

His legacy
If any one policy area indicates where Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's ambition outstripped his performance, it is his oversight of the LAUSD, according to Southern California Public Radio.
More
 
Unacceptable
More than one in six gay students in California have been physically assaulted because of sexual orientation, according to a study released by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. 
More  
 
At the CORE
If approved by the U.S. Department of Education, nine California districts--known collectively as the California Office to Reform Education, or CORE--would receive waivers from NCLB and operate under a different school accountability system than the rest of the state. More
 
 
BRIEFLY NOTED

Apocalypse now
With Chicago Public Schools facing a financial meltdown, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration is targeting 61 school buildings for closing, unleashing a torrent of criticism from anxious parents, children, and teachers, as well as aldermen. More
 
The Race belongs not to the swift
The U.S. Department of Education will consider, on a case-by-case basis, granting the original 12 Race to the Top winners an extra year to finish their work. More
 
Removing the public from public education
Parents would be able to take their child's Title I dollars to any school of their choice--including a private school--under a budget amendment written by Republican Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. More
 
Training supermen
Louisiana Superintendent John White has announced the state will use $5 million in federal professional development funds to train educators interested in turning around failing district-run schools. More
 
Suit yourselves
Nebraska's refusal to adopt the Common Core academic standards in math and language arts may cost students, teachers, and taxpayers, even as 45 other states move to implement them. More
 
Counting the hours
Iowa lawmakers are poised to approve legislation that does away with the 180 instructional days requirement on which school calendars are currently based, in favor of one based on 1,080 instructional hours. More
 
Creating a problem where one doesn't exist?
Georgia could become the only state to force local school boards to consider petitions to transform non-failing traditional public schools into charter schools. More
 
As per usual
Budget cuts from the federal sequestration are causing little noticeable effect on most school campuses nationally, with the exception of schools for Native Americans. More
 
 

                
GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES


Target: Early Childhood Reading Grants
Target Early Childhood Reading Grants promote a love of reading and encourages young children to read together with their families by supporting programs such as after-school reading events and weekend book clubs. Maximum award: $2,000.
Eligibility: schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations. Deadline: April 30, 2013.
 
Target: Arts and Culture in Schools Grants
Target Arts and Culture in Schools Grants help schools and nonprofits to bring arts and cultural experiences directly to K-12 students. These programs must have a curriculum component. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: schools and nonprofit organizations. Deadline: April 30, 2013.
 
ING: Unsung Heroes
The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. Maximum award: $25,000. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school. Deadline: April 30, 2013.
 
NCSS: Christa McAuliffe Reach for the Stars Award
National Council for the Social Studies Christa McAuliffe Reach for the Stars Award aims to help a social studies educator make his or her dream of innovative social studies a reality. Grants will be given to assist classroom teachers in developing and implementing imaginative, innovative, and illustrative social studies teaching strategies; and supporting student implementation of innovative social studies, citizenship projects, field experiences, and community connections. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: Full-time social studies teachers or social studies teacher educators currently engaged with K-12 students; NCSS membership required. Deadline: May 1, 2013. 
 
 
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"A lot of low-income and middle-income students have the inclination to stay local, at known colleges, which is understandable when you think about it. They didn't have any other examples, any models-who's ever heard of Bowdoin College?" -- George Moran, a guidance counselor in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in an article describing the failure of top colleges to attract high-achieving low-income students.


      
A little about us:
 
Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is an education support organization that works as a collaborative partner in high-poverty communities. Our aim is to foster schools that facilitate the personal and academic success of children and youth, from birth through high school. We are an innovative leader in teacher-led school reform, known for proven, effective programs and responsive collaboration. Our focus is on producing college- and career-ready graduates. Founded in 1984, LAEP was the first educational-transformation organization in Los Angeles and among those at the forefront of the movement nationwide. Over the decades, our cutting-edge work, community school strategy and teacher-led innovation has evolved into recognized best practices.
 
For more on LAEP and our work, click here.
 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.osu.edu/pipermail/ohiogift/attachments/20130326/f09d1a53/attachment.html>