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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><font face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="5"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Public Education Network Weekly <span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">NewsBlast</span></i></b></font><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>"Public
Involvement. Public Education. Public Benefit."</b><br>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Dec. 21, 2012</i><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">FROM THE EDITOR</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><br>
This will be the last edition of NewsBlast. The publisher of NewsBlast,
Public Education Network, is closing its doors on Dec. 31, 2012. NewsBlast
was founded in the mid-’90s with the purpose of keeping the education reform
community informed. On a weekly basis, we have reached 250,000 education
reform leaders, professionals, and interested readers with the latest in
education reports and news. We believe we have been a valuable voice in the
education reform world. Thank you for your feedback and contributions over
the years. We wish you Happy Holidays and a productive New Year and beyond,
in which our nation sees true education reform and a focus on the most underserved
students.<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvyC5fweEITdTysZYaZAZI-kZK3fStfyc4v5XR42tRXE0ild5YuInHyVTNPmQpI1M8W9mQ0CVKqgC03o2I5yiGKtYTL6iXjEz180-0usRmBMAKeFgc4iU0GDMyfRRkfnMzlYLs7ZReMXJkVtfFjpNk5D" target="_blank"><b>Once off-track, much harder to get back on</b></a><br>
A new study from ACT focuses on the extent to which students who are
academically far-off-track for college can catch up within four years.
Researchers examined multiple cohorts of eighth-grade students whose EXPLORE
(a test administered by ACT) scores were more than one standard deviation
below benchmark scores associated with being on-track. Ten percent or fewer
students who were far-off-track in the eighth grade attained ACT College
Readiness Benchmarks by 12th grade. A separate analysis using state test
scores for students in grade four and their EXPLORE scores in grade eight
obtained similar results. For both fourth and eighth grade cohorts, the
overall percentage of students catching up was lower in high-poverty schools.
Even at more successful high-poverty high schools, fewer than 20 percent of
far-off-track eighth graders attained College Readiness Benchmarks by 12th
grade. These results indicate policymakers must emphasize prevention over
remediation. Prevention strategies should be conceived more broadly -- for
example, giving every student access to a content- and vocabulary-rich
curriculum in the early years, or implementing programs and strategies that
improve student attendance and academic behaviors. Efforts to close academic
preparation gaps should begin as early as possible, be more intensive, and
take as long as necessary. Based on the study's results, policymakers should
not assume that rapid catching up is possible if only educators try harder.<br>
See the report: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvyC5fweEITdTysZYaZAZI-kZK3fStfyc4v5XR42tRXE0ild5YuInHyVTNPmQpI1M8W9mQ0CVKqgC03o2I5yiGKtYTL6iXjEz180-0usRmBMAKeFgc4iU0GDMyfRRkfnMzlYLs7ZReMXJkVtfFjpNk5D" target="_blank">http://www.act.org/research-policy/policy-publications/</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxevYH_yDLWTBb72az1S9dFeyXTbf_q1UEi_gDk9ZVhpx0FCH7eN5bpcRY0qKK3YiMfQcWVydWqujvx7uSDhKS-HwkFRnEgxeFTSBsai0MUGA==" target="_blank">A better gauge</a></b><br>
The National Assessment of Educational Progress is building a comprehensive
new way to gauge socioeconomic status in order to measure how it affects
academic achievement, reports Sarah Sparks in Education Week. For decades,
the proxy for socioeconomic status for most federal education and
child-health programs has been eligibility for subsidized meals under the
National School Lunch Program. Yet food-aid eligibility gives an incomplete
picture of students in poverty, gives no information about students who don't
qualify, and notoriously under-represents students as they get older and more
self-conscious about applying for free or reduced-price lunch. The updated
measure will assess broader resources and learning supports, such as family
income, parental educational attainment, and parental employment. This year's
NAEP included new background questions, including how long a child has lived
in the United States,
how many family members live with a child, and how many adults in the home
have a job. The student survey will still include questions about home
possessions related to student achievement, such as access to the Internet
and number of books in the home. The board is considering measuring other
indicators that could highlight differences between students living at the
same income level in different areas. Indicators of school and neighborhood
supports also may be pulled from administrative data and the Census Bureau,
such as neighborhood degree of concentrated poverty or linguistic isolation,
average educational attainment, and employment levels.<br>
Read more: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxevYH_yDLWTBb72az1S9dFeyXTbf_q1UEi_gDk9ZVhpx0FCH7eN5bpcRY0qKK3YiMfQcWVydWqujvx7uSDhKS-HwkFRnEgxeFTSBsai0MUGA==" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/cvmagdr</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzK3hjeC_7lmPD1geV9b-Ik4-2C3DMO_y-wOmarAGD_3KDux8nlo9AfdcEgwOghlzwN5SOhtKSZ61zM-QUlcP78ZZm336Z1ZMZzfAZrf4z-p0Eab762t4iID4431e3liepftlGZ9gXHEQLCCg1mv5C57KUD9NpTXIOepxXrYn2NAQkBDFOgQOg13CByT7YTpchwOLu5Z7ogBw==" target="_blank">No metric for intangibles</a></b><br>
New research finds that measuring principal effectiveness using student test
scores is more difficult than anticipated, reports Jackie Zubrzycki in
Education Week. The task of evaluation poses a number of questions. For
instance, should principals be evaluated based on the performance of teachers
they didn't hire? Should they be measured for their immediate impact, or for
growth over time? How can we compare one principal to another working in an
entirely different school or district context? The new research from Stanford
University proposes and examines three broad approaches in using test scores
to evaluate principals, adjusting, in each case, for the background
characteristics of students that might affect academic performance: tying
principal performance directly to school performance ("school
effectiveness"); comparing different principals' performance at the same
school ("relative within-school effectiveness"); or examining
growth in student achievement over a principal's tenure ("school
improvement"). In the end, researchers found none of these methods to be
satisfactory. The study cautions that it's important to think about what
various measures can and cannot reveal about the specific contribution of a
principal, and to recognize that none of these are a clear indicator of
principals' specific contributions to student test-score growth.<br>
Read more: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzK3hjeC_7lmPD1geV9b-Ik4-2C3DMO_y-wOmarAGD_3KDux8nlo9AfdcEgwOghlzwN5SOhtKSZ61zM-QUlcP78ZZm336Z1ZMZzfAZrf4z-p0Eab762t4iID4431e3liepftlGZ9gXHEQLCCg1mv5C57KUD9NpTXIOepxXrYn2NAQkBDFOgQOg13CByT7YTpchwOLu5Z7ogBw==" target="_blank">http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2012/12/do_students_test_scores_reveal.html</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxvcdws7JB8TlK3Ys1Z9WUTwFRVoe1HUkikIO9iaR5-TiIU-RZSyP8kQtP9Edy72nD8cBy-D1geOywvWNrTqPunoCaK56ZpXdU1hdTtETIyFstXeffG9NY8roHHl3xpCkGo8ZuWjLNHRA==" target="_blank">Politically expedient, fiscally untenable</a></b><br>
A new report on state teacher-pension policy by the National Council on
Teacher Quality finds the structure of teacher pensions in the United States
untenable: These systems are not only costly to states, districts, and
taxpayers, but retirement benefits are being squeezed and distributed
unfairly. The report assesses teacher-pension systems in 50 states and the District of Columbia,
detailing the pension-policy landscape, and finds pension systems to be
underfunded by $390 billion. Most retirement eligibility rules are
burdensome, unfair, and allow teachers to retire relatively young with full
benefits. The report recommends that every state offer teachers a flexible
and portable defined-contribution pension plan. Formulas for determining
benefits should preserve incentives for teachers to continue working until
conventional retirement ages. States should ensure that teachers vest no
later than the third year of employment; have the option of a lump-sum
rollover to a personal retirement account upon termination of employment that
includes teacher contributions and accrued interest at a fair rate; have
options for withdrawal from either defined-benefit or defined-contribution
plans that include funds contributed by the employer; and purchase time for previous
teaching experience and leaves of absence.<br>
See the report: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxvcdws7JB8TlK3Ys1Z9WUTwFRVoe1HUkikIO9iaR5-TiIU-RZSyP8kQtP9Edy72nD8cBy-D1geOywvWNrTqPunoCaK56ZpXdU1hdTtETIyFstXeffG9NY8roHHl3xpCkGo8ZuWjLNHRA==" target="_blank">http://www.nctq.org/p/publications/reports.jsp</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvyKMx0h6wrroWVppWFrpywYaT5xv_WgcUa-SpoUC_CBu6ol-JuooLeOb4NtPyCXyvGPQ6LGymJpYy4j9m7VpXD3bqtS8go3omTVkzweROsdGWFhbETEMWpQEywbIlmBFIZj-BRjepYF1g==" target="_blank">Needed: transparency in choice</a></b><br>
A new research brief from the National Education Policy Center looks at
issues surrounding public funding of alternatives to conventional public
schools, and calls for a new level of scrutiny regarding the structure,
level, and conditions of these subsidies. School choice in the United States
takes various forms: charter schools, conventional vouchers, neovouchers,
magnet schools, open enrollment, and across-district choice. Private
schooling and home schooling claim public support through tax benefits and
partial enrollments. The report recommends all schools receiving public
funding -- regardless of type -- should operate using a uniform chart of
accounts, spending, and revenue definitions. Finances must be subject to
regular and public audit, and since each type of school choice -- cyber
schools, home schools, elementary, pre-schools, high schools, etc. -- has
cost-profile differences, each requires separate finance projections, with
comparable costs established using comparable schools. Regional cost factors
may be indicated, particularly in states with large cost-of-living
differences, and facility, transportation, and administrative costs must be
separately analyzed. Rules and laws must guard against malfeasance and place
appropriate limits on profits and salaries of those running schools and
management corporations. All sources of revenue -- public and private --
should be considered in calculations to determine a fair level of public
funding. Finally, the interactions of various policies must also be analyzed
for unintended consequences.<br>
See the report: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvyKMx0h6wrroWVppWFrpywYaT5xv_WgcUa-SpoUC_CBu6ol-JuooLeOb4NtPyCXyvGPQ6LGymJpYy4j9m7VpXD3bqtS8go3omTVkzweROsdGWFhbETEMWpQEywbIlmBFIZj-BRjepYF1g==" target="_blank">http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/options</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxCG9bGuLhJ_c7rq67dBGXr9OXnN4Yi9NILBpNQ57v_Sh85NOth4ZCM706DyGETOeOOsaygZ9MtO33KSCNej7Yp8sj6feWDNXNM9IIrnZ8wr0TTh0mxMRDXnJbz4f2F63WVhpnPqlOXMBMGPgOGTYZNzKrykTRCS51Yweixh0eZnMBoTQz_AG-ZyLAV47VDQ8nLo70ihxK-0RlmeMukUyk8" target="_blank"><b>What price charters?</b></a><br>
A new report from the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education
examines the fiscal impacts of charter schools on district budgets by looking
at their effects in two New
York State
districts. In Albany, 20 percent of public
school students attend charters; in Buffalo,
17 percent. Over the past two decades, the school-age population in Albany has remained stagnant, and has declined in Buffalo. New York State requires that districts pay
charters a per-pupil amount equal to that spent by traditional schools. Using
fiscal data from the 2009-10 school year, the authors categorize all district
expenses as fixed or variable. The net burden that charter enrollments impose
is the sum of per-pupil amounts paid to charters minus district costs
classified as transferable and minus state aid for each charter student
residing in the district. Albany's charters
impose a burden of between $883 and $1,070 for each student enrolled, and Buffalo's charters cost
between $633 and $744 per pupil. Since New York
gives districts transitional aid for each student who transfers to a charter,
negative impacts are reduced between 65 and 88 percent in Albany
and 19 and 22 percent in Buffalo.
This suggests that unless districts find a way to reduce fixed costs, they
must reduce service levels or increase taxes as a result of charter
enrollments. The authors conclude with policy recommendations that could
reduce costs duplicated across sectors and thereby ease the financial burden
on districts.<br>
See the report: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxCG9bGuLhJ_c7rq67dBGXr9OXnN4Yi9NILBpNQ57v_Sh85NOth4ZCM706DyGETOeOOsaygZ9MtO33KSCNej7Yp8sj6feWDNXNM9IIrnZ8wr0TTh0mxMRDXnJbz4f2F63WVhpnPqlOXMBMGPgOGTYZNzKrykTRCS51Yweixh0eZnMBoTQz_AG-ZyLAV47VDQ8nLo70ihxK-0RlmeMukUyk8" target="_blank">http://www.ncspe.org/list-papers.php?utm_source=op+213&utm_campaign=OP+213&utm_medium=email</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxTGIRiBbodlt_JTKP4l0c2i77rIse62EOrvIQ2gU4o8HZofYCrp2Lu8d_Wt4iBHTVoDX4ty7OflS4lCf7mkLZoS9ZHTgcuc8PTkD3Usto-HX2D_8PwBlHKXlOUWFUm7LjZ0eQQUtkIiNgIMpkaEQXUCUOBmLs1zis=" target="_blank">Into the Digital Age</a></b><br>
A new report from the National Association of State Boards of Education
addresses how states can ensure schools are ready for the impacts of rapid
technological change on the processes of teaching and learning. The study
also examines how educational technologies intersect with other reforms like
the Common Core, newer data systems, next-generation assessments, and virtual
courses and schools. The report recommends that boards examine the
opportunities, incentives, or barriers in place that enhance or inhibit
districts' ability to partner and share resources, and determine which
policies allow or inhibit online, virtual, and blended learning
opportunities. States must also reexamine the school calendar to create
flexibility for students to learn through alternative means. State boards, in
collaboration with licensing boards and program accreditation committees,
should ensure teacher candidates have fundamental skills and content
knowledge to teach students in a 21st-century environment and can use student
data to personalize instruction. Teacher candidates need robust clinical
experiences that incorporate technology and online learning, and professional
development must sustain this. States must also ensure every student has
adequate access to a computing device and the Internet at school and home,
with sufficient human capital in schools to support effective use. Finally,
states and districts must assess the interoperability of devices, software,
and data.<br>
See the report: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxTGIRiBbodlt_JTKP4l0c2i77rIse62EOrvIQ2gU4o8HZofYCrp2Lu8d_Wt4iBHTVoDX4ty7OflS4lCf7mkLZoS9ZHTgcuc8PTkD3Usto-HX2D_8PwBlHKXlOUWFUm7LjZ0eQQUtkIiNgIMpkaEQXUCUOBmLs1zis=" target="_blank">http://nasbe.org/study-group/technology-study-group-2012/</a><br>
Related: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzONmn1-ctzjyOCsiSpglaL06xFvNPqVt_ej5jjKlfUvpv9vUHoUw-XlYV-_syvc2_t7o1vul8KDwfmhV3fCPmtUITWzRLwvO1cZLtU0C_BbKw5aulC4SMNH2sbvErC1IUaKj-1Brmw4WSy2MkbznlfRSILCsvYW2k93ckkLSJtmuq7hw5J5qSmHSVSjkm1vJE=" target="_blank">http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2012/12/24-ed-tech-terms-you-should-know</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzwwNyJWYrXIqnLtneCXNFC6cl2wZQFo03QCMOblTSM4BA4kSkkoHExkaal4DJWGsr-jdiLbZVqHgmrmYp5A5-J9ctZY4uX66AP_OEIMQZJOA==" target="_blank">Towards Digital Literacy</a></b><br>
Common Sense Media has released Digital Passport, a free, web-based tool to
help educators prepare students from grades 3 to 5 to use online and mobile
technologies. Based on lessons from Common Sense Media's K-12 Digital
Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum, the tool addresses issues kids face
online -- safety and security, cyberbullying, privacy, responsible cell phone
use, and respecting creative work -- and leverages a blended-learning model
of classroom instruction with online videos and games extensively tested in
implementation sites in seven regions across the country. Additionally,
Digital Passport's modules align to the ISTE NETS standards and Common Core
State Standards for English Language Arts. Public schools in Chicago,
Denver, New York
City, and Omaha, as well as schools in Maine and California,
have committed to using Digital Passport this academic year.<br>
Read more: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzwwNyJWYrXIqnLtneCXNFC6cl2wZQFo03QCMOblTSM4BA4kSkkoHExkaal4DJWGsr-jdiLbZVqHgmrmYp5A5-J9ctZY4uX66AP_OEIMQZJOA==" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/blwqmyz</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzrUEk__1WAGO9g1XTE9BHKX0HOV1LsFiC7BqXwedBBTBs9iatjpbiJUL62EXMnoogYfykPLw8d5RqLc5I6PExW1WcltsjjpKSEwHJRikvT2_R_YSk70usM7ATWc3-CQjAqepSDWtSAbR3VSTuwtZXtsZ-jdYIIH-nZ4wrI1RIR0EnzrklYPyNYT51zluHZW3c=" target="_blank"><b>Waivers and ELLs</b></a><br>
A new guide from the American Institutes of Research is designed for state
and district leaders, who play a key role in ensuring that ELLs graduate from
high school well-prepared for college and careers. The guide summarizes the
ELL-relevant information in 34 approved state applications for ESEA waivers,
and focuses on implementation of reforms related to ELLs across three
principles in waiver requirements: 1) college- and career-ready expectations
for all students; 2) differentiated recognition, accountability, and support
systems; and 3) effective instruction and leadership. The guide includes
requirements for each principle related to ELLs in the flexibility waivers;
descriptions of how the plans addressed ELLs; considerations for
research-based enhancements to current policy and practice; and examples of
state and district innovations for ELLs related to waiver provisions. The
gaps in achievement between ELLs and their English-proficient peers continue
to be a problem. As growth of the ELL population continues to outpace the
growth of the PK12 population, and ELLs continue to score poorly across
content areas, it will be important for states to fully consider ELLs when
implementing reform plans.<br>
See the guide: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzrUEk__1WAGO9g1XTE9BHKX0HOV1LsFiC7BqXwedBBTBs9iatjpbiJUL62EXMnoogYfykPLw8d5RqLc5I6PExW1WcltsjjpKSEwHJRikvT2_R_YSk70usM7ATWc3-CQjAqepSDWtSAbR3VSTuwtZXtsZ-jdYIIH-nZ4wrI1RIR0EnzrklYPyNYT51zluHZW3c=" target="_blank">http://www.air.org/reports-products/index.cfm?fa=viewContent&content_id=2181</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>BRIEFLY NOTED</b><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>Least gun-friendly cabinet member, according to the NRA</b><br>
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been tapped -- along with other
cabinet officials -- to serve on a White House task force that will examine
gun violence, mental health services, and other policies related to the
massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut last week.<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvyEAwtN3zHcVjS5147iwDzAiMKAGtE6ldG-N_FtCQS5WgNBD2x0EFAS6davOsv8exUyqapQ7QIEyA6YXynhv4uTOIoofVvY8h628rLapWUoUw==" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/bwsbdpb</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>It all adds up</b><br>
Missing even a few days of school seems to make a difference in whether 8th
graders perform at the top of their game, according to a new analysis of
results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvzAy5TIYwIvtJoGkl0msuqv4qlqpS9TBUDK8RyuQplx0ryov2_-GQJ2Vh_GvI9XUPm7tMfmAoJvSheNXd1CUit18498uidDJoTgqzgrioNXOQ==" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/abrlrxt</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>Pleasant surprise</b><br>
Implementing the new Common Core State Standards in reading and math will
cost Kansas school districts significantly less over the next five years than
expected, according to a state legislative audit.<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvwtdycq8PWk1zohhoWI1XbTxtzpv2c8i7N8ukHuo93gcx-DlMvU2Ro-o3Ee_Q7wiBJ0bkwPWNWGBv6SxL490JNaOJd0zeK4bxSYB_VvAm0vUsJ0QeE4B4lenYSGZ-W7lgesxFGCXUaB37GGewkzqfvLXKBUXQ7r5NgkiaIqGeWioXahJ-a1hMdb-6MA0Jruy0MxfwRoQ_-NtD0wmeT4reoa" target="_blank">http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/dec/13/audit-finds-minimal-costs-waiver-and-common-core-s/</a><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>Getting in on the act</b><br>
The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association
are working to develop tools to help implement the Common Core State
Standards, underwritten by a grant of $11 million from the Leona M. and Harry
B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxv_oOKvIqvGDyZJHLrKMb0DgOJqT_QBxwd8DYAi_zs356DgjEWIDCdyaC-1jrMkjMuYHVxKO_P-OGacJHMwQW6xE_Aj9GOFNWQCgSog-qZZlxa6Rf4G08tz0imQA49mBQ_M_y8a8sh8Ls0FdKWgyuqrvkcqcu4sz8ZdgLipR4LPUBbzopAHVLR4e8ZrmVl5vGsqCZm5warYQ==" target="_blank">http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2012/12/nea_aft_to_build_common-core_w.html</a><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>Narrowing the field</b><br>
The U.S. Department of Education is revamping its Investing in Innovation
(i3) grant program by having all applicants work to address one of 10 new
priorities.<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvyhHNaz5JHhQoZkxf7Qe2NlbssNcICylbh2Gwtn3618VyLDswKxK7Ar1Rgc22ctQSuF1K0iTeHbXK_yCZYC-qmvrJkqZXreHqJlg1dWKM4dBmAshCQ0riHMD36upBRmav6f1qv41eBH_8ddEUKfOSkEPyFhTFVwO3YLgPMgxC0a7GcTaYzlBW4JOp4e7gPJ9pCimO4C4Skttw==" target="_blank">http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/12/us_education_department_propos.html</a><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>Probably not for long</b><br>
Investors in the gun industry include one group that now stands out
conspicuously: public school teachers, via their pension funds.<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxvtm8sDJVQYnfziRCNKJs2HRzr6JoK4j8r5HMWg0hJy4S0siS62yb7KmqzIK7d6huw1w43lM_iTWLmp3FSvQxDLJR0kGkVwvEczy4KXqbzr10W80Frkzh1eWyjGp5U6wA44oK0SIWJB7_Cw7U8gWs3lwW8OmxvELJZChecNqWcEp2rnp_2GAPLB5PiJJXplPu8h6OKpyY3qg==" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/gun-company-investors-teachers-_n_2319064.html</a><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</b><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvw2mFwUsooktWR6fVFT-iTJx1KydByqepuNvFDxhhrJSgErWYCIaZsowMK8qmjtc-d0pG5nVs3YvHstFnSLfWL0KYmwbV6N_XFFx6eTTKPW2VCgrdPmunBzKWqdsWUosxtz2YH47VqqIe7C6L8kvMz-" target="_blank">Independent Sector: The John W. Gardner Leadership Award</a></b><br>
The John W. Gardner Leadership Award honors visionaries who have empowered
constituencies, strengthened participation, and inspired movements. Award
recipients are builders -- people who, apart from personal achievements, have
raised the capacity of others to advance the common good. Their leadership
has either had national or international impact or, if at the regional level,
has attracted wide recognition and imitation. Maximum award: $10,000.
Eligibility: Gardner
Award recipients may be of any age, may be the creators of needed
institutions or may concentrate on education and advocacy that changes public
opinion. Deadline: January 31, 2013.<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvw2mFwUsooktWR6fVFT-iTJx1KydByqepuNvFDxhhrJSgErWYCIaZsowMK8qmjtc-d0pG5nVs3YvHstFnSLfWL0KYmwbV6N_XFFx6eTTKPW2VCgrdPmunBzKWqdsWUosxtz2YH47VqqIe7C6L8kvMz-" target="_blank">http://www.independentsector.org/about/gardneraward.htm</a><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvx3gISE7Zm26sBtSLftMVKa_hVin91MBRSnZWCfM66D3WAlL2JxDYbNX2hsSq7JlBo34-aIIZqyhz2aRwWlDRHw21NisjkwIuG_VGvrX6wMGpWnjQUJkepiSLjgvaVPuzU5Q6K4PM2kjA==" target="_blank">National Council of Teachers of English: Edwyna Wheadon
Postgraduate Training Scholarship</a></b><br>
Edwyna Wheadon Postgraduate Training Scholarship provides funding for
professional development experiences for English/Language Arts teachers in
public educational institutions, to enhance teaching skills and/or career
development in teaching. Maximum award: $500. Eligibility: teachers of
English/Language Arts in a publicly funded institution. Deadline: January 31,
2013.<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvx3gISE7Zm26sBtSLftMVKa_hVin91MBRSnZWCfM66D3WAlL2JxDYbNX2hsSq7JlBo34-aIIZqyhz2aRwWlDRHw21NisjkwIuG_VGvrX6wMGpWnjQUJkepiSLjgvaVPuzU5Q6K4PM2kjA==" target="_blank">http://www.ncte.org/second/awards/wheadon</a><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxp9Cv_mu5RV9BXMf5GAf8Ul8Y9Hu7jgyI9YUQm4SUlvrUnxzhHiuCW3GCzWiGevuCIPrYxOPXLM_03QjMzs6sydYL_iO8bQiayDl7GWX5zokwDwsFbnGNi1wK-F7MZ355otxwjbiOT_w==" target="_blank">American Academy of Dermatology: Shade Structure Program</a></b><br>
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Shade Structure Program gives
grants for the purchase of permanent shade structures designed to provide
shade and ultraviolet (UV) ray protection for outdoor areas. AAD also
provides a permanent sign to be displayed near the shade structure that
promotes the importance of sun safety. Maximum award: $8,000. Eligibility:
nonprofit organization or public schools that primarily serve children and
teens 18 and younger; demonstrate an ongoing commitment to sun safety and
skin cancer awareness by having a sun safety/skin cancer awareness program in
place for at least one year prior to application; and are sponsored by an AAD
member dermatologist. Deadline: February 1, 2013.<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvxp9Cv_mu5RV9BXMf5GAf8Ul8Y9Hu7jgyI9YUQm4SUlvrUnxzhHiuCW3GCzWiGevuCIPrYxOPXLM_03QjMzs6sydYL_iO8bQiayDl7GWX5zokwDwsFbnGNi1wK-F7MZ355otxwjbiOT_w==" target="_blank">http://www.aad.org/public/sun/grants.html</a><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><b>QUOTE OF THE WEEK</b><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
"We're going to take a look at what happened [in Newtown] and what can
be done to help avoid it in the future, but gun control is not going to be
something that I would support." -- Representative Robert W. Goodlatte,
Republican from Virginia and incoming chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee.<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KXa8qcmrrvy47yaylIjRlqYGkyFkS_2k4sHVZpCZ5Tc7CKsu1XuYj7sdlkDVoWngVrcC8BS_MRREj1kScciALXOUFfiGXCaFInTtA-f43sIjasY6DPF83A==" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/ce7g7xb</a></font></div>
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</a></font></div>
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Public Education Network, is a free electronic newsletter featuring resources
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
auto;text-align:center" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4">Kate Guiney<br>
Editor<br>
PEN Weekly NewsBlast<br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="mailto:NewsBlast@PublicEducation.org" title="mailto:NewsBlast@PublicEducation.org">NewsBlast@PublicEducation.org</a><br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><br>
Public Education Network <br>
</font>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4">P.O. Box 166<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" size="4"><a href="mailto:PEN@PublicEducation.org" title="mailto:PEN@PublicEducation.org">PEN@PublicEducation.org</a></font></div>
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