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<div>April 2, 2013 - In This Issue:</div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK17">So much for the Finnish Miracle</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK45">The high cost of low-cost testing</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK44">Forgotten subgroup: high-poverty high-achievers</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK43">Recipe for secondary school success</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK42">Early college schools: Compelling numbers</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK19">The growing voucher trend</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK51">Project evaluation in six (easy?) steps</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK52">Evidence-based, but who supplies the evidence?</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK53">Atlanta: The wages of high-stakes testing</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK50">BRIEFLY NOTED</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://mail.aol.com/37605-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27452381&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#LETTER.BLOCK54">GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</a></div>
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<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">So much for the Finnish Miracle</div>
</b></span></div>
<span>A new report from the Brookings Institution
discusses the latest U.S. student results for the Trends in
International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in
International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Forty-nine nations and
nine benchmarking participants took part in the PIRLS, given in the
fourth grade, and 63 nations and 14 benchmarking participants took part
in the TIMSS, given in both fourth and eighth grades. American students
did "reasonably well" in reading, math, and science, but perhaps more
significant is how other countries -- for instance, Finland -- fared. On
the 2011 TIMSS, Finland and the U.S. had statistically
indistinguishable math scores for both grades, but Finland declined by
38 points from 1999 to 2011 -- one of the largest declines recorded by
the TIMSS. Of the "A+ countries" -- Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hong
Kong, Japan, Korea, and Singapore (those scoring at the top of the 1995
TIMSS rankings in eighth-grade math) -- two had statistically
significant gains, three had statistically significant losses, and one
scored about the same. In all of this, author Tom Loveless stresses that
causality is difficult to determine from cross-sectional data.
Curriculum surely plays a role, but more work is needed to isolate
curriculum effects in international data, and more testing of
well-formulated hypotheses using longitudinal models. Ideally,
randomized trials of the best curriculum programs could tease out
unobserved influences on learning, such as cultural values regarding
academic success, parenting practices that promote achievement, and peer
status based on working hard at school. </span> <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhEmtn_mDjYZmUwTbSDF8QafFdiZiadE6E-LUFjI0HfSoht1bBdU0qmOJoTOccD9R-f3AhM5NiZ4xwEipqUx0JyOhu0kGIyYOcW5Vdk-hMJceqlnm4P8ez3VTaKct7T_NvVBreTD3uk0S9Db4Izgf_5vdanem1UmN5JiTnJoJQIj76NMQlk1324DTIYGXemoR8=" shape="rect">More</a><br>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The high cost of low-cost testing</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>A
new report from the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education
argues that spending on standardized testing must support
higher-quality assessments with open-ended and performance tasks that
measure complex learning, scored by teachers and by sophisticated
artificial-intelligence engines. Although apparently low in cost,
today's state testing programs are fragmented, disjointed efforts,
unable to measure the most important learning goals, and not useful
toward understanding how students think or what help they need. Current
investments, which total less than half of 1 percent of overall
per-pupil spending, could support assessments that tap critical thinking
and problem-solving skills. The report calls for a coherent system that
not only provides assessments of deeper learning but also offers
formative supports for instruction and interim tools so teachers can
make formative evaluations. States can achieve this goal by:
understanding how state and local components of a high-quality
assessment system can operate together; taking advantage of cost savings
associated with multi-state consortia and use of technology for online
delivery and scoring and reporting; involving teachers in developing and
scoring assessments in ways that support teachers' professional
learning; and combining state and local resources strategically. The
question for policymakers must shift from, "Can we afford assessments of
deeper learning?" to "Can the United States afford not to have such
high-quality assessments?"</span> </span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvjbGfb9zIU4lztwhwxNA7kSQnqlrTyNzpZGXnnUuWfStS6ptudydo032td5SFvJ4U1BPN6LhVwFfuq2cJNFILzBTRkA-DROwbUwZmgoWVUWcXLjNCTtJujbyF_9cxCcJxaKMUtLD5ixqkcBSgJlHIE3" shape="rect">More</a></div>
</div>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Forgotten subgroup: high-poverty high-achievers</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new report from the
Kingsbury Center at the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a
follow-up to an earlier longitudinal study of high-achieving students,
looks at the academic growth of 35,000 elementary and middle school
students in 31 states, with particular attention to the growth and
performance of high-achieving students from high-poverty schools. For
the purposes of the study, "growth" focuses on change over time and
"performance" focuses on single points of time. Researchers found that
while the vast majority of high-achievers were on track for college
readiness, significant achievement gaps existed between students in poor
schools and students in wealthy schools. To close this achievement gap,
high-poverty schools will need to offer their high-achievers the
accelerated and advanced programs that are standard in wealthier
schools. The average rates of academic growth by high-achievers in
wealthy and poor schools were nearly equivalent, indicating that
accountability policies based on academic progress are a better measure
of school effectiveness than the proficiency-driven approach of NCLB.
Within high- and low-poverty schools, growth rates varied tremendously;
some schools showed extraordinary growth and others showed abysmal
growth. To ensure that high-achievers receive adequate resources within
their schools regardless of school poverty, top performers in each
school must be recognized as a subgroup when setting accountability
policy and evaluating school programs<span style="font-size: 10pt;">. </span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvgieYmDZbHFlRwKuHMBCM0kQ2k9fpEwDNqlKq8SVOQqzuysIY7ygVI_ImLweUdOa-mU-UU5L4cNjNKbUAwK6T2xGaKuM6YHIGxPvoKvlHpUxut7vNyZLUFIVJ6qYFY9gMp7HnxPETp6eT9rqzw6VxSQZ7z2U32YfYDVVsPNtalwkQ==">More</a></div>
</span></div>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span><b>Recipe for secondary school success</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new report from the
Carnegie Corporation of New York calls for a focus on how schools can
bring all students to the greater levels of achievement that the Common
Core State Standards and the eventual Next Generation Science Standards
will demand. The new standards will hold all students to a significantly
higher bar for graduation, and schools must simultaneously lift average
students and support and motivate students who are behind. Individual
interventions such as adjusting curriculum, strengthening teacher
preparation and professional development, or increasing quality learning
time are important, but in isolation are unlikely to produce outcomes
that help all students. The report calls for a comprehensive school
redesign effort, and puts forward 10 design principles that can produce
school models that help all students. A high-performing secondary school
would: integrate youth development and engagement through caring,
consistent student-adult relationships; prioritize mastery of standards
aligned to college- and career-readiness; continuously improve
operations using performance data and analytics to improve curriculum
and instruction; develop and deploy collective strengths through teacher
teaming and differentiated roles for adults; manage school operations
with purposeful use of time, people, and technology; maintain an
effective human capital strategy through consistent, high-quality
systems for sourcing and selecting teachers and staff, and through
individualized professional development; empower and support students
through key transitions into and beyond high school; remain porous and
connected via effective partnerships with organizations that enrich
student learning and increase access to community resources; have a
clear mission and a coherent culture; and personalize student learning
through a variety of learning modalities.<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhEmqvW6UWGrEDup1m6X_RAzVa2XrIE4nsz8euyKWmmcYrN56CSGRCo8wcku4lCFvh7Y3aeQW8tZlf8Qnsr7f9qM3jFanQuZMOBs_KjZDUzaXreJ_9F6A6DvCzErkjIexVW9jvaDMnSJffJ0_9RgjjEiuNQgKOFzM86bA_lMWav1SRZRUKHkU2lwFPR3ta1xSN4nDT0SEE0Wo-lUwcqDeeipk80STxBUJMagrBk4SHhMEHpdl2D_Da7dAeHxq1bnBEiwCmVCB3iUqfPwUJSOhOtyUr46asR_2obO7UNVAktQthL5OqRGcVthJgXJ1SyArEHE-WJgYWJihJ3NCWQEXuo">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><strong><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSviXaAecpY5aI11uHDjN5Q5r82VzA5k94joSieuR0SxVPJla2n1LMRPfF7JBLTcveilnXFLY387KMTCebI7fPykINjUXZIOrNT_uB5FnlLkPNDOQjKcr9hA1CQqXf_6v5kHPHjtcxfdewbaKd1FHUbs4Sq_tuVSzpQMLkabEm9wHfvQvPr1aHZ_b73C53Is9HxRSdiXPE2TlqdfHB0JXnm_j">See the 10 Design Principals</a></strong></div>
</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="LETTER.BLOCK42"></a><table id="content_LETTER.BLOCK42" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 9px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Early college schools: Compelling numbers</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new brief from Jobs
for the Future reports that over 75,000 high school students nationwide
-- most from underserved populations -- are learning college-level
material and earning free college credits in early college high schools.
Early college schools provide aggressive supports to help students
tackle college coursework and drive their own learning through group
work and other interactive classroom strategies. Ninety-three percent of
early college students graduate high school, versus 75 percent
nationally. Seventy-six percent immediately enroll in college, eight
percent higher than the national average, an even higher difference in
comparison with particular subgroups: 14 percent higher than the
national average for blacks, 16 percent higher than the national average
for Latinos, and 26 percent higher than the national average for
low-income students. Ninety-four percent of early college students earn
some college credit for free, an average of 36 college credits, saving
30 percent toward a bachelor's degree or 60 percent toward an
associate's degree. And early college high schools serve students
traditionally underrepresented in college: Seventy-seven percent of
students attending early college high schools are students of color, 57
percent from come from low-income families, and 45 percent will be the
first in their immediate families to attend college. <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvjHxPa5IV8TVrA3itMWymntBt16GfnpvIzxtGpnboDW4aBRdPLLIi3SyjbIOFLRUYDGbmmE1DtTHskxUZAOLAQih7dkM_MAsWyi0182fyi8MwW7ZveRVxarFGIMtIZPTWOyAstwavslTeoAvFYI8RH_ecOnNNcuG5kv_CA__SRDgPbiLqyl3e-7k_9Vdt4cPLsehA8nNajEUg==" shape="rect">More</a></strong></span></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span><b>The growing voucher trend</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Rather
than finance a system of neighborhood schools, a growing number of
legislators and governors would funnel public money directly to
families, who could then choose public, charter, private, religious,
online or home schooling for their child, write Fernanda Santos and
Motoko Rich in The New York Times. The Indiana Supreme Court just upheld
its state voucher program, and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has signed a
tax-credit legislation so children can withdraw from failing public
schools and enroll in private or better-performing public ones. Arizona,
which already has a tax-credit scholarship program, has broadened
eligibility for education savings accounts. And in New Jersey, Gov.
Chris Christie, in an effort to circumvent his legislature, has inserted
$2 million into his budget for vouchers for low-income children.
Currently, 17 states offer 33 programs that give parents taxpayer money
to send their children to private schools. However, it has not been
established that students attending private schools through vouchers get
better educations; research tracking students in voucher programs has
not shown clear improvements, and many students don't take state
standardized tests. "At the same exact time that accountability and
transparency seem to be the watchword for how we spend these dollars in
an austerity-ridden environment, there's absolutely no accountability
with vouchers," said Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of
Teachers. </span><span style="color: #f14e23; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvi5l-s_Te7HLiKggPjb2DAB62CnpWssvssuCfG4RB88oy8HMsixXetn5Bu6pk99N79twnPTX9NxivgYl_dBJpa5GpNsODcTXTZYUZ04v_9Z5GKGqCz6aJttSukgYFuqMy_ghXh9QismAQlM8IYh59EPbDX8htTytkI7tgFXbtQvWzlgW4iLUQqoxKnfckI9V9p6TC2CwOi47O_BjuKZmV5W8lRNaEql-29fn3LKniOMEciGerW0xD71ZTXz9oEBVjr2OAKgtRf8kw==">More</a></strong></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(241, 78, 35); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(241, 78, 35); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 78, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvjRXdEgc2ZBhfYXz1Ge3Nqg8loT_oRNb9ErpQ71Dbu391lCrw1rnU9KJbOlx1U1XjY0cvAncncKKVj-lnwP2tsY75WAOBUMNXbmI1QwGdmJJGogyUv1tSiUPZqqK_8dd5JVWCo58F6A539S7UGUKJZ3kfwSOo0GfAX98-8ndgRpwUhVdEbLptg0BXLtwgkA3IoLF8oMafMo_4HFt-J31ZOHHQY4ZIX6nSpgjZblbKpP3bMInbKZj825DSnX0hMtfydRLqpdgsovFQ==">Related</a></span></strong></div>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Project evaluation in six (easy?) steps</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new brief from
Education Northwest looks at lessons learned over decades of experience
that can help state and local education agencies and nonprofits use
project-evaluation results for continuous improvement. Lesson One -- be
clear about your organization's evaluation needs: Why are you evaluating
your program? What questions do you need to answer? Two -- use
appropriate measures: Select metrics, measurements, and assessments that
are tightly linked to a project's activities and can provide compelling
evidence of goal accomplishment. Three -- build a strong working
relationship with your evaluation partner, to ensure regular, ongoing
communication between project leaders and the evaluator so that the
evaluator is kept abreast of changes, developments, challenges, and
successes. Four -- ensure data evaluations are useful via comprehensible
charts and tables with a clear narrative. Five -- build capacity for
internal evaluation, using frequent and targeted data collection to
inform program decisions. Finally, Lesson Six -- maximize use of
evaluation findings. Evaluation results can confirm or discredit
assumptions, celebrate success, focus attention on an issue, and help
build a culture of inquiry and continuous improvement. These are more
likely when multiple stakeholders have opportunities to discuss and
apply evaluation results to meaningful program decisions. <span style="color: #f14e23; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvig4y5S-EHAW8MVmTtbeUFq8PYjyiNCXtNAcSDJn6LPwHTDrMg32ytUwTujgpRkOSy2R9vTQygm1nxEKZJHGcWQvgs-FhmSQ7m8i2T9bQ8AgJE62N8bIVlretleDRdgzj2ZUi-z3xOdtA==">More</a></strong></span></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Evidence-based, but who supplies the evidence?</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new report from the
Consortium for Policy Research in Education examines how state education
agencies (SEAs) search for, select, and use research and other kinds of
evidence when adopting research-based practices for improving
low-performing schools. The authors studied three SEAs from different
parts of the country with varied structures, and staff sizes ranging
from 250 to 500. Using a combination of surveys and interviews, they
found SEA staffs used multiple types of information to inform their
work, but relied most heavily on advice from colleagues. This
information often flowed across departments and offices, contrary to the
notion of agencies as segmented and siloed. The researchers found a
large number of external organizations were part of SEAs' research
advice networks and played a catalyzing role in the design or
elaboration of research for policy. Knowledge gained from these
intermediaries tended to calibrate the SEA's work of improving
low-performing schools and districts. External organizations were
particularly important where SEAs lacked expertise or staff capacity.
Researchers also found each SEA had central internal staff who were
important in brokering research on school improvement. Identifying and
cultivating such influential actors, and connecting individuals now
isolated or only weakly engaged in these communication networks, could
create a more robust exchange of knowledge around school improvement.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><span style="color: #f14e23; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhIEX-djpqflcGHUpWkliPzF7VCRqjqi_h8DnYIAH7AVFio3yDVWzcFCoPNoG39Jm98wFaOeG5sXfkhLLg8kf4MMOJPgwGDVpe068xcEmmbGXWw2AplTHITko3nvKJFBKGao9q-_iyiyo04eVjA1M2SwPR4CPrzL0uLMiB1ayNu-V6g-p3U6acNUARazI7dRQUA66xXF1fhEiD18kZZtcKK">More</a></strong></span></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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<div>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Atlanta: The wages of high-stakes testing</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>Beverly Hall,
former superintendent of Atlanta, Georgia, is one of 35 Atlanta
educators indicted by a Fulton County grand jury, Michael Winerip
reports in The New York Times. During the decade she led the district of
52,000 children, predominantly poor and African-American, students
often outperformed wealthier suburban districts on state tests. Those
test scores brought fame -- in 2009, the American Association of School
Administrators named her superintendent of the year -- and fortune: She
earned more than $500,000 in performance bonuses. Prosecutors say Hall
and other teachers, principals, and administrators "conspired to either
cheat, conceal cheating or retaliate against whistle-blowers in an
effort to bolster C.R.C.T. [Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency
Test] scores for the benefit of financial rewards associated with high
test scores." Paul Howard Jr., the district attorney, called Hall "a
full participant in that conspiracy. Without her, the conspiracy could
not have taken place, particularly to the degree it took place." Hall,
who retired in 2011, has been charged with racketeering, theft,
influencing witnesses, conspiracy, and making false statements.
Prosecutors recommended a $7.5 million bond for her; she could face up
to 45 years in prison. Cheating has grown around the country as
standardized testing has become a primary means of evaluating teachers,
principals, and schools. No state approaches Georgia in its effort to
root it out, writes Winerip</span>.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span><span style="color: #f14e23; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvg9_CveAZBWozOwjxok49pGUTfxoA0AW1OuexdKB28cVZiM1kis5y8z3a6_yxWzLGtyp6CaKeD-U3kDyfLtsQcOTy1TEQGB5MoOeWpNdio3Uz0PVrezRXlbRLiMMcuJTAbJsHAP-VZg4b1L_ZSJ7DhciYZiO10YxYZmxNzI_LIflae2suNhID7F8ZmOf9Igf_NuT1Lh_wVA_InA1yAKqmxzxP1pB3Z3S5w=">More</a></strong></span></div>
</span></div>
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<div><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b style="font-size: 10pt;"> </b></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b style="font-size: 10pt;">System failure</b></div>
</b></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 18px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">California's community
colleges -- the nation's largest public higher education system -- have
lost so many teachers and classes that students are being driven away. <a style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhg5SJw1Kx3Ru0L6uqxkpmt2voNO6qZhRfQPMOC78tOqm1NQ9yFp2teA0pGkWEb_vcrwk-C_iYZI77Z4MvUzYnkLDZ4_ucwMvs-bd130mOjO4iM2QTHAv21XP0FKKwnz178FHfKpiKOd_MPci5z9YwM4hSp5bRuimF6ujymGMhJDLA-f49pv8VX-qh0Md8JXXzwl_dEc7EG2bhfqmoLE8Hd5s8cZEh2q2HLWSy7INSRj98q4xHM64d6">More</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><strong> </strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><strong>Not exactly a mandate</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Fifty percent of
California voters agree with Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to give more
funds to school districts that serve low-income children; a separate
Brown plan to give local districts more funding control is favored by 59
percent. <a style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvgDj_cy73p-rkrwaASDhzsIJdTTTNF_kWqBWKHCYRmvDSETLQfTeaMY4hPD1V44Op6gUaek2xpZu-sChJ0VNMRz88ITlIIWNR2O30q5x3rk8bVyGuQMhRnlv_2RH2jlSv67AfNC_DAjiW2EzAv3a80Gm3Y2f23SGO0fORGXyIz1ZJVZPuC_lLmXYpqLyRWoYbk=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><strong>No more pay-to-play</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The California
Department of Education has issued a memo detailing what students and
families can and can't be required to pay or provide for school. <a style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSviHjKbGYYtGqtnI6cKdATWdmfjIkpGfW5NflRvKLOmL0IJyIUpIAdY2rrBuesndYZZF_5muUERsC3Lu9DgVjDTgvqtGegLgs1aX0VZLk3J5lqVVIYs-aTP9gWDgH3TduG0cuSlDP5HNBvp-koJADcL9IjOvSr7THZ7YBAVlCsSILMzzNolC6oASYmuFAP7VdIyrlkpes3di2-DzBFqJUXPLvOKF0DibkkulLk9zIY0rmZmf_RwhQXHl1M4C_jB-qjs=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23; font-size: 18pt;"><strong>BRIEFLY NOTED</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><strong>Chronic dysfunction</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">New Jersey Gov. Chris
Christie has announced the state will assume control of Camden public
schools, describing a district "at the breaking point" with "chronic and
severe" problems, making it the fourth school district under state
control and the first for the Christie administration. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvg9RzVrJQNB29DEJTiXGX4GJA_cTAzoSU8FbZLEy8xd6JY6aO0VyGFEeQPU6AU9cESCpPgnfROIHFn3PWa3dLGeneQZyegwkkHl0UABiVbitE2KC2r7sXaCAyHmrkj-biLqhNrO8QZfzZcNdcABZZrV022UYANtUmq4i2sG6yZiRAxwiNC5oQvW">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Rewarding initiative</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Maine is increasing
funding and expanding courses for a program that provides free online
Advanced Placement courses to students who can't get them at their local
high school. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvgOLYBEnLz25DftmJb92BAuFVJgM3XeJ9WbAhMe86ZoHvGKzjBbSzt1CP9kFIC391jgPIAMxLUXpEHhLI-DZZDweLIlZTUdAeTwaouX_P4uk1EgOHF6aAljeJeQ6LzWfo_To8cejKadZzXddDIZfADLZzj8izNfdC7kK3Pe9uI5UnFWal0NecY_AUZJY-BvOnA=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>As you sow, so shall ye reap</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">In a renewed effort to
boost the number of college graduates in fast-growing fields,
Massachusetts has awarded $2 million in scholarships to public college
students pursuing degrees in science, business, and health care. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvgUA_5yi9xw8LXwb3e2Q_cCaZm8oN1BVAgaJ5Uq_pE-996GxVl-CBGvbXNwuteG7df3Awxpt-3go_xDPwzewyv7j5BRNJoR--ih1ggYUT9EhN01L0QruN6Ta_dm-TFgGrLIx6eegQtwAcqQE7JytIl-0R7TFcw0lPiTbwfBk9xUwOIg2a3gJWAcr7Jj_Ti2jMzZiupyZH5HGufQOlikWFb7KWFL--tw6UPh0h-9lZGtQHyLZC3eUt6UgU5qZmh7t0V-ywQI7ScAX3D2fLPkSdUIq4oenPjmdGgtZQ7SEIuvtQ==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Enough already</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Seattle school leaders
have decided to relax some requirements for the Measures of Academic
Progress (MAP) exams that are the focus of a teacher boycott. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvgQBYTM25qOOCopo9QnXxeSD5b_3X3FvQr8x-3R-1rn571VHF4CPkxxt63pn5qRKkfIDL-oJ0rZypJf9P2SCmKdNo7mWQYtBm34xXeMyHBCqUc0449anBRqLg_uVkFtcy5vj69278L1cUqkY48LE0WRPmqX8jJlV32MFZVrS-EXrg==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><strong>Erasing stigma</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">West Virginia lawmakers
have unveiled a plan to provide free breakfasts and lunches to all
students who attend public schools, regardless of socioeconomic status. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvjzdfX09z-_6pd76MMv-ZolToUYmaMPyblwUBCeUFRMvtdsPMjHQOqrM9XdT2cncc5LdD187vLMXhh5QoLYNSG6MzJ0OOIa-f588tbr878jVSGOnqQy5tSsT-D6ZPBKcEs=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Heavy maneuvering</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">New York Gov. Andrew
Cuomo and state legislative leaders have reached an agreement on changes
to a state law that ensures new teacher-evaluation systems are in place
even after contracts between local school districts and unions expire;
this does not resolve the standoff between New York City and the UFT. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvjSv52dPcXp-S_1lw00sif9XeX7TUITQfW-LGpAs9sHvZLMtmBt6x8EN6LQyyKzyd8UbNKMRB0ptmQXIGxc9vRr7I4pgpyS9PmZad1AyoPiIahq6LEEPxX62isGz4gqGjsHrMfM2tWIMCDAA0AItHqNVme-fI-z2zbGvlRsQDsESwK2ZLs3A9eXlrhJoqJresDMhYgRgCkqzWvkn6YmfOKl">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14e23;"><strong>Any better ideas?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Increased enrollment in
Algebra I in middle school hasn't led to higher math performance for
states on the NAEP, according to the Brookings Institution. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhFy6eoqzesTkLObWlzd93u4juKH0oOOc4iwQsbzUBweWRHUS07TkbWc7pF3fAjshWo3K_BNCBV6sfKQK9SDiwvkpxfBlvQ7xY2SCUTvLGPUnPeI52tqYgalki_q9MZGrsNT8ap0pIkIOe8fHYSKLfT3HmoA_5dYsEUsdCdjW7Kj9ACYGZUJAQmuu5ueMZ_B9uL0b9D1Sz1Q3B_9ryGN4Up9KnfCNPV47JJg9uYSnaPGNyvt4mmVkWbIU6SmqP8UhBa1Mxua10Uzg==">More</a></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="LETTER.BLOCK54"></a>
<span><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</div>
</b></span>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #ee5624; font-size: 10pt;"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #ee5624; font-size: 10pt;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 78, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvi5jvSfA6kkB-SSQbK87UDjv72RE3Q-ZR7M1ysZ_5eFSQoKJ11ix2s6AHieC0aq1nz5peRW90WGw_8RDo4SbBLj-ZN5JgD-tfyF0iGHXuDAH3yweoC2shaV">Examples of Excelencia</a></div>
<span>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;">The
Examples of Excelencia initiative recognizes programs and departments
at the forefront of increasing academic opportunities and improving
achievement for Latino students at the associate, baccalaureate, and
graduate levels. Maximum award: $5,000; recognition at special events; a
highlight in the 2013 edition of What Works for Latino Students in
Higher Education; and inclusion in the web-based Growing What Works
Database. Eligibility: programs and departments at the associate,
baccalaureate, and graduate levels of higher education. Deadline: April
26, 2013.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #f14e23;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #f14e23;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvi0DqJX3P2nZVV6AAG3DOkOyhmT-KpTzM2mvihOLm90TAI71L1ZHDsJa0NywJe0DdPeKE83zDAPssFFkxGFW99CjwajWGkhIgq1sEqsDrxaTC6kaogHy3LcWpngkwTjY1a6RkQV0K0I4_XwQNvAMIy48BNN9h2ArcUUi8lZB5IEtQ==">Earth Island Institute: Brower Youth Award</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #000000;">The
Earth Island Institute Brower Youth Award recognizes young people for
their outstanding activism and acaievements in the fields of
environmental and social justice advocacy. Maximum Award: $3,000, a
trip to California for the awards ceremony, and a wilderness camping
trip. Eligibility: youth ages 13-22. Deadline: May 13, 2013.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #000000;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #f14e23;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhgBqoXW-F2WsTr_6HDvq9pyHKCF0GMBom0v8e-DOkvY0RFGjZqKcU7Kn_FexZ9HC5tRbryQX1ko1lVq1jUopi-u_aLwb6NfxEaD8PyB42rO4sW4K3C483_46pN7TjNWpTWtDYNT7KahfULhwB6ifLLs_tRHlJhAls=">Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Talent Development Award</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #000000;">The
JKCF Talent Development Award celebrates K-8 educational organizations
committed to the deliberate cultivation of high-potential students'
talents, skills, and passions. Major criteria considered for the Talent
Development Award include: alignment with the Foundation's commitment to
identifying, cultivating, and/or promoting exceptionally talented
students who have financial need; focus on students in grades K-8; high
apparent effectiveness as demonstrated through internal reviews,
external evaluations, and/or scientifically-confirmed research; strong
leadership with a clear vision and the capacity to influence
stakeholders; a noteworthy, innovative solution that could be
replicated. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: K-8 educational
organizations. Deadline: rolling.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #000000;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #f14e23;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhahLXY8-Oy8cwHR5JD6K66b2Zstn8pTgy27uJT5eVcxxhBaY-6Fe4kqIRW2Vqt_f0yJblg5g5nmbc2cNbAtYFpHupZltaG0UU-ifvFepF_RrOo9lVnEzUePVjQA5ZCA0On8-H04gXmKrei5-7N1te0MI0D3hAj9wXaDpnUEj_itwRqKWT6anpuU5pmK3ZF6n3EZ5aS1UZVUFoJ-tcBVLCvVE7oeWEwgn_jjp3OL7Iw0w==">Q</a>UOTE OF THE WEEK</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">"It would be an unusual profession where at least 5 percent are not deemed ineffective." -- <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=00143JB-GkuSvhahLXY8-Oy8cwHR5JD6K66b2Zstn8pTgy27uJT5eVcxxhBaY-6Fe4kqIRW2Vqt_f0yJblg5g5nmbc2cNbAtYFpHupZltaG0UU-ifvFepF_RrOo9lVnEzUePVjQA5ZCA0On8-H04gXmKrei5-7N1te0MI0D3hAj9wXaDpnUEj_itwRqKWT6anpuU5pmK3ZF6n3EZ5aS1UZVUFoJ-tcBVLCvVE7oeWEwgn_jjp3OL7Iw0w==">Grover J. Whitehurst</a>,
director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings
Institution, in an article reporting that many states are finding their
percentage of effective or highly effective teachers to be in the high
90s, student outcomes notwithstanding.</span></div>
</span></div>
<div> <br>
</div>