<div id="AOLMsgPart_1_61fa3cef-fc56-423d-85dd-21888903ecd7">
<div id="AOLMsgPart_1_2003977f-2941-4191-bbe7-38aae6e281fb">
<div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><span style="DISPLAY: inline-block" contenteditable="false"></span></div>
<div>
<div><img style="display: block;" name="aolmail_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.331" alt="Pub Ed Newsblast Header" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs160/1102261797723/img/331.jpg" border="0" width="640"></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding-bottom:6px;color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background:transparent;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:25px 0px 25px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="middle" width="100%">
<table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK31" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:25px 25px 25px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top">
<div><a class="aolmail_imgCaptionAnchor" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZpExYJHRMNHnhli9KlC0MUE35gutqxVre39cEuIVJ6e9_RjW56N9-7JEms6P0BLaUEHZuDOktEENZj1Ryapd5TMTaUpAAVm44NIQfNCF39LJQ=="><img style="display: block;" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/ui/stock1/wire-bound-pad.jpg" border="0" height="112" width="169"></a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table style="width:270px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="1">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
<td style="background:transparent;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:25px 0px 25px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="color:#76b5be;font-style:italic;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;padding:7px 25px 18px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div>November 6, 2013 - In This Issue:</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;padding:0px 25px 0px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17">Bolstering the odds for foster youth</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45">Are teachers more proficient?</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44">Not in math, apparently</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43">States and evaluations</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42">The assessment/technology conundrum</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53">Don't compromise on test quality</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55">Strong results for Boston charters</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54">Accountability and inclusion</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK46">BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK56">BRIEFLY NOTED</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;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;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38172-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27543668&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19">GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background-color:#989898;padding-bottom:3px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" bgcolor="#989898" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding-bottom:6px;color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK17" 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;">Bolstering the odds for foster youth</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;">About two-thirds of
foster kids never attend college, and even fewer graduate; those who do
have an uncommon resilience, writes Michael Winerip in The New York
Times. In a 2010 study by the University of Chicago, only 6 percent of
former foster youth had earned a two- or four-year degree by age 24. In
contrast, 34 percent had been arrested by age 19. Evidence indicates
that extra support can make a difference. A growing number of colleges
-- from U.C.L.A. to Los Angeles City College -- have created extensive
support programs aimed at current and former foster youth. At U.C.L.A.,
this includes scholarships, year-round housing for those with no other
home, academic and therapeutic counseling, tutoring, healthcare
coverage, campus jobs, bedding, towels, cleaning products, toiletries,
and occasional treats. Seven states have particularly strong programs:
California, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, and
Washington. These offer more comprehensive services than the
comparatively light support from some institutions. Programs for foster
youth have seen considerable growth in recent years, spurred in part by
the 2003 creation of the Chafee grant program, an annual $48 million
federal appropriation that awards scholarships of up to $5,000. Also
important: legislation in 2008 that allowed states to extend federal aid
programs for foster youth from age 18 to 21. <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=001xvR8Z6xHtZqWQm2_9FLZ5p5PCAHuci8gdWO3xX-96pJjf3FxelBw1oaVbuMKGU9zrK2D_u8-bxYfPaD_-P6gskJaz7us6LRcQC-C7-2qDge59fmrj8juuVPe4o6k5FpreAYWdnNlay7BRGRUhn5RSxqkkYwIM6W9b6p-OwbX0wDaSdK7Uja4tgIyFfEvdHmsO1uGAXtJMv_POcjJi0HaD9IFfgl5tW33NSmEkf51CFnaAfZ5GOcDJD701RUEh08zY9W2bG9zSfW9Ser9Zrd0YEUidl6lCnQz6ioWFYxs7CwBuPZk8RUHJZgO69CMskHmFaupaJuZSUvlY30pSKei_t-gs53t5qiHMq_KWMDgfTA=">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK45" 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;">Are teachers more proficient?</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 article in
Education Next analyzes trends in teacher academic proficiency over the
last two decades, and finds that in contrast to earlier cohorts in the
study, graduates entering teaching in 2008-09 had average SAT scores
slightly exceeding those entering other occupations -- perhaps a
response to the economic downturn. An uptick in teachers who are women,
from 71 percent in 1987-88 to 76 percent in 2007-08, reflects growth in
female science and math teachers. The average age of teachers changed
little, but the percentage over age 55 increased from 9 to 16 percent. A
bump in retirement-eligible teachers in the mid-2000s has made the
teaching force largely under 30 and over 55. Prospective teachers are
graduating from less-selective colleges, and in the last 20 years the
gap in selectivity has widened. One explanation is that selective
colleges and universities have fewer undergraduate programs offering
teacher certification in four years. The percentage of bachelor's
degrees in education dropped from 10 percent in 1990 to 6 in 2010, while
the percentage of master's stayed at 27 percent. STEM majors are 4 to 8
percentage points less likely to become teachers than non-STEM majors.
New teachers in high-stakes classrooms tend to have higher SAT scores
than those in other classrooms, and that differential grew by 6 SAT
percentile points between 1993 and 2008. <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=001xvR8Z6xHtZr-fieTX0kP7EYAvxggq7ketoMsZU_ykssa-orLJKbbCj7lSbNLekvG4Jhmo3vomrBDHtxQONx-pVtCbVQ3uBA4bT503gxVb1D6Mei6vBQGxsY2nVqeDR4LenqEM4GWxPKCh520azDuliFHleM9yZyD">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK44" 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;">Not in math, apparently</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;">New research from
Michigan State University finds that the worst-performing
teacher-preparation programs are producing more than 60 percent of the
nation's future middle school math teachers. Researchers analyzed data
from the Teacher Education and Development Study: Mathematics, which
included 23,000 future teachers in 900 programs across 17 countries;
they conducted surveys with over 2,000 U.S. participants. The team found
nine "core" courses were consistently taken by high-achieving
prospective middle school teachers in the top 10 percent of training
programs worldwide. A similar set of coursework in mathematics and
math-teaching methods exists for elementary teachers. In the United
States, only one in seven future middle school teachers and just over
half of future elementary teachers had taken all of these courses. Once
teachers begin teaching, the least-prepared graduates are more likely to
teach in schools serving a high percentage of students in poverty. The
best-prepared teachers were significantly less likely to work in
high-poverty schools, and reported feeling more confident to teach math
topics. The overall results of the study point to a possible remedy: the
international benchmark for secondary teacher course-taking suggests
that improvements in course requirements for teacher-preparation
programs might improve the performance of both U.S. middle school
mathematics teachers and their students. <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=001xvR8Z6xHtZppzJEdtP9yZyPhQ7tL7i9eMaL8rEnZHW5g4h-0V_p5QWYHvVbMDYKD2WlErio801udXVXydq64vbJ-atv-jtP7MebObJIqd710M2XCErL6Mb_stp4Nh3zuWAkMCp6-OR6cf_hw11h3VuxYWTRGMwnCOATNR0xJaSc0z545MrSwq6zwGiFM8LkjRvIJdxN4u5kH_agMPdBHS6XFIWWhZPdY">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK43" 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;"><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">States and evaluations</div>
</b></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;">An annual paper from the
National Council on Teacher Quality analyzes state policies on teacher
preparation, training, retention, and compensation. As of September
2013, 35 states and the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
require that student achievement be a significant factor in teacher
evaluations; only Alabama, California, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska,
New Hampshire, North Dakota, Texas, and Vermont have no formal policy.
Overall, 11 states and the DCPS mandate a statewide teacher-evaluation
system; 10 states offer an evaluation from which districts can opt out;
and 27 states offer guidelines. Eighteen states and DCPS require tenure
decisions be informed by evaluation ratings. Twenty-five states and DCPS
require that teachers with poor evaluations get intervention. In 22
states and DCPS, persistent ineffectiveness is grounds for dismissal.
However, the majority of districts nationally still use seniority as the
sole determinant in layoffs. Only 18 states and DCPS explicitly address
student achievement in non-tested grades and subjects. The paper
recommends that teacher evaluations help all teachers improve, not just
low-performers. States should ensure the quality of evaluators, which
only 13 states and DCPS do through certification. Multiple evaluators
are important, and states should adopt validated instruments or get
expert help writing, testing, and implementing them. Special education
cannot be an afterthought, and states must ensure that growth measures,
observation rubrics, and surveys are fair to special education. <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=001xvR8Z6xHtZpskDy5CVs1M3NoWxQW2aOVPKw-z8LRCeSl1Hqr8LsMniZDdHeITFSAT2C6a-k8XE-tNogkgwFrkTgY4CByGLQXZaQJi2OAlkR03IaK3rfg88Te8ujViuY-F9VXAIR1Lq2CrMh0wdQ4ExLTQCivDOOMesRgOLOJ5pbE9Tso9E5j5gEX-64crAOFghlPssJ_w4F69J1anhtptw==">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42"></a><table id="aolmail_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;">The assessment/technology conundrum</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span>When
millions of schoolchildren sit down at computers to take new Common
Core-aligned assessments in spring 2015, many of their peers will take
similar tests with paper and pencil, raising questions about
comparability and equity, reports Catherine Gewertz for Education Week.
Both Common Core consortia are building computer-based assessments, but
will offer paper-and-pencil versions as well, as states transition to
online testing. The consortia must show that the paper and computer
version of tests in English/language arts and mathematics are
comparable. But could children in high-poverty areas, where
technological readiness is lower, lose something by not interacting with
the new tests' technologically enhanced items, such as drawing and
drag-and-drop functions? Or will they benefit by sticking with paper
exams if they are more comfortable taking those? The consortia will not
decide who takes the paper-and-pencil version of the test and who takes
the computer version -- that is left to states, and in some cases,
individual districts or schools. About 40 million students are in states
belonging to the consortia, and large swaths of students will be using
pencil and paper. Consortia leaders say they are confident that
comparability and equity questions will be fully addressed by the time
the tests debut in 2015.</span> </span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZpGo4oDa0XGCe-dtjC528kJiKAjgXpV1xuMQqxWaO73IvwXECEZEK4oscePS4lokci2hiop03AKsTidOHLp-B75mijbdN21gsO1nfQIcop0x25z_VwoYZudMY3pIob_L6GTce3k3TqRbN4hntwrzfIXui9U9xuaMzWXtgHlA15M7bTRwQVVXmbrfMVOl6E8UAmgxwpVDLcYdVBGhwnofhhQW6Gvd8Yr-j8LCeRqLhNjkl-_rxWNXz1TgSc-SSziHgBwNLaLt1AFW5rmqqiBnr7V">More</a></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK53" 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;">Don't compromise on test quality</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
Brookings Institution critically examines the likely costs of the Common
Core assessment options available to states, but urges states to
consider quality in addition to cost when choosing. The estimated costs
of PARCC and SBAC tests ($29.50 and $22.50 per student, respectively)
are not far from the nationwide average of what states currently pay for
tests, but states have expressed concerns, likely because the consortia
have announced estimates but not firm prices. States may be worried
that prices will rise if states leave consortia, but even if all states
where political debate over the Common Core is intense drop out of the
consortia, costs would increase by no more than $2 or $3 per test. All
Common Core assessments under consideration cost less than a single
textbook, and represent a tiny part of the $10,500 average annual
per-pupil spending on education. The report recommends that states
gather good information on test quality to justify spending, and that
Congress support these efforts when reauthorizing NCLB by restricting a
small amount of education funding -- $30 or $40 per student -- to be
spent only on assessments. This would force low-spending states to
upgrade their assessment systems or leave money on the table. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZrh5OL02SzvTZZ77raUP3rXsAmt1Bu7T_9wJCtOqgMhd5sW8vNdzrz4SOHjxfEvRBXG-jiJ1gQ955Q1Q4WiJ3okbH-qeEPnlb54jtFwO9GXx7RbLATBVZ3kAVZiqLw9F6OoDkjd6MB2KLpBT4-GchGwav0dLYvZUsMSfVxNooLHvIAbzN1jY6verv4cwQ7FbDoG2px4BrybBYrPX_iry1EOFheD02cQ9Hm6LsBh34ZQVXGEN8MFjVRvdCnJt9CqUmleJC-1T-2JSfIDo25PoF7Krq-vUx35tDuAa6RjsWrMj9uRhC_LT0h4Rh0p1eT8l46sA-UH9MHyDz3msuE4Ig2t8KAt7wYOr9bW2-AabiD25qYLg5sQGlb1BJYU2NDtrh8-6dQXO8A-kg==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK55" 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;">Strong results for Boston charters</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 follow-up report from
the Boston Foundation looks at charter demand, attendance, and
performance in the city, and concludes that those most likely to succeed
in Boston charters are the least likely to enroll, especially in middle
school. Charter demand in Boston increased from 15 percent of 6<sup>th</sup>
graders applying in 2009-10 to 33 percent in 2012-13. Demand for 9th
graders increased from 11 to 15 percent. Boston added many charter seats
over this period, mostly in middle school, but applications per student
also increased, so that the increase in applications outstripped the
increase in seats. The causal impact of attending a year at a Boston
charter is positive in both subjects in both middle and high school. The
positive per-year effect on middle school proficiency was 12 percentage
points in math and 6 percentage points in English. In high school, the
per-year effect was 10 percentage points in both subjects. The effect on
reaching the advanced level on the standardized MCAS in high school was
especially large, with increases of 18 percentage points in math and 12
percentage points in English per year of attendance. Gains were largest
for minority students. In middle school, gains were larger for students
who scored worse on baseline exams. At both levels, gains were
particularly large for English language learners. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZq-4tSoqYjDfnvhGzPJVfMG9GwOl2xoGgxBRhI_PvJ7PM-BascIkVRnX3ThhSn7vwMk-3t9fzYOGIJT47koAV6_iCDIC6fcs0YBxQqWnca5k3UdMzsAT3s4GxoYPiV9JENJ7UCxyDzeNR7uXMkdUkYl0gGwrRV0dy7eLyv3LJI7hwWdbfDIVYVu5ZpmXx6dlwpqocw2B0NtPaT8IU8LgGyd" shape="rect">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK54" 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;">Accountability and inclusion</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;">A
new report from the federal Institute of Education Science examines
inclusion of students with disabilities (SWD) in school accountability
systems. The report finds that numerous provisions and regulations make
it challenging to determine exactly how well SWDs have been performing.
States use different tests, adopt different proficiency standards, use
different methods for measuring progress, and set different minimum
subgroup size for accountability, all of which lead to variation in how
SWDs are included or excluded from accountability systems and how SWD
performance affects AYP and school improvement status. Across 44 states
with relevant data for 2009-10 and DC, 35 percent of schools were
accountable for SWD subgroup performance, representing 59 percent of
SWDs in those states. In the 25 states with relevant data for all 4
years, the percentage of SWD-accountable schools increased from 30
percent in 2006-07 to 34 percent in 2009-10. Eleven percent of schools
in 39 states and DC missed AYP in 2009-10 because of SWD subgroup
performance and other reason(s), and 6 percent missed it solely because
of SWD subgroup performance. Among schools consistently accountable for
the performance of the SWD subgroup across 22 states, 56 percent were
never identified for school improvement during this time period. </span> <a style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZp_-Np_9E3C8GouAt73J1IxZrC-RwCwtPhcrtan5lWgCtyuLIDQv5Etd5FeYTIkxC-wjqFELGtXDy6JV02q8viXcGSYI4lnF4N8xz6mTh36T4VrpRuDmeutTnGKtHaVc1MbCP6z61v9a6yUhfBOqeLdIZRZHvzEIMY=">More</a></div>
</div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK46"></a><table style="background-color:#ebf5f6;" id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK46" bgcolor="#ebf5f6" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:25px 25px 0px 25px;font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(240, 79, 35);" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>ED means business</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Reinforcing its threat
to punish California for dumping its old standardized state tests next
spring, the U.S. Department of Education has said the decision could
cost the state at least $3.5 billion. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZpkxz60mY4q0rV1pifKfQRauMxANbIPjiijvoeIKOl1A6CSLJBr1Bpk5gMYHtTQbEI5UhWQkicWZVqavL0nW_cEMm81km06081RdUslffFI5YYnDlvMHrb5w4iIgZ8wA7rk7DeEiPZtv-fiytu6p1E_Shzt8rxXQM5BRmljS5i3gASITYeFS812mZCkDWdQe6f3A8MEpuuXR1gVJYDoQp51">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Olive branch</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Janet Napolitano,
president of the University of California, has announced $5 million will
be devoted to providing special counseling and financial aid for
students living in the country illegally. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZquN8YFVqWQy_xk6R_TIZjtA30uTLfzocPxRUg11tUfOVHgTzp0MkPawZbPvVCy8beT5f__ShgqxIGSEyM430mQRSxgObjJsnSD8bXolLTsZTJUIuVjyjqjj8JB4aK3W802gdkeraajm62ItS5kz3HRfJweG9dpCd3HG7N2I9OFRJEiKtHxiIYT2DDC4HYqA62n3RGVxQMGlYkDHuJQGrfqET_yp5W3Pwdu3IqpSBC7Om0a6yxew2Ziy-wQvbHmRoM=" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Deasy does it</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">After nearly five hours behind closed doors, the L.A. Unified school board announced it will retain Superintendent John Deasy. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZoOI7pOWUQwIJ3JX8BuH4Z5x1uM-i4hNpFzas3rXe7rPUO-ktyXpcTIJfjb8FMgvEkBT66gFKglr-hD84W_lxsVvm4U5fD_pVBVkWIVA-g7ylttcWWmVxkJrkMaT3vUp-jYCJEiPxwLqYvgWJIfrdhLjkMcqhjZz4psJ7F5AEuk2xMLI8h7pFc6ej6LyatIOC_EvHe3RA2sN6PE8NmRpgQaJx66BvWr5NYWuXBG_lVdsg==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Progress?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new report by the
Community Rights Campaign shows that police employed by Los Angeles
Unified School District issued dramatically fewer citations to students
for truancy and substantially fewer citations overall this past school
year, but African American and Latino students were still
disproportionately cited. <a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZr490ugFlnZMcwVqGz45BQ_jEn5vIXBr1kLaievaLAx538zPg9K6kJYMF52Eqy0BMC78HGjnk-sZsSHVn2TeOzFWeOGSyWr1xE2hDY5IUNtRcLl5F9M-YMBqo7kp1x_YBFB_injmbkGKYWIeIcGdJhFRtbuDxESDzgRFSfOBH-kGstH_Q9SzQFmku4UwpAELpSqZihDiLPatijx7NtIp8sCBADFFgPDW19tz_3cirQTw0N20Bdv58Ed" shape="rect">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK56"></a><table style="background-color:#ebf5f6;" id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK56" bgcolor="#ebf5f6" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:25px 25px 0px 25px;font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(240, 79, 35);" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED </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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Amen to that</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The New York State
Education Department, responding to concerns that standardized exams in
reading and math have become excessive and unwieldy, will seek to ease
the burden of testing. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZrnaEK7BwHWEjU8x4tNcAfF8rcRO81g99tJY5EgMZFM2dzuNL2N2H8Guxftn1YsQLvKd8UwSPsnSHFfbEuOzzYRzCaD6wIU2GpZjqYlmC-VTemFiYyRi2oc_ndc-2YBGPHxl-JuGMfaft_n-j3HikFANYa-SUvPJI_BGlnGJSsx3lYVJJq0YnD-lhnr3ql2LEmlXhBpPa8ijus2dCm0iK4XHcZXVjNOnw5sZ7wzh1p5KyadlfGM0em7lQhbgmZbruQ=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>We perceive a trend</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">About 30 school boards
in Virginia have passed resolutions that call on education officials to
revamp the Standards of Learning testing system, saying that there is
"little research" that shows that students "will be better prepared to
succeed in their careers and college" by taking the 34 standardized
tests the state gives to each child between grades 3-11. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZqoer9CNBep82m1m8vskYYhd_5D0hEClWZZpMrvSNqg2FJDM-r7Mk1p72eyg6_3pW3EZSXlXN0VxJNFS03GkQfm_dcuHutLwf-HhXELbIdaL7frb5Eh-Iy9wUHrWVASOaxKyV_TT-xkK-L-hnoe-QZCBkDJgd95eClQopN63j4J2WAcdc8KdoiM2A7z3rbtwzNOwyta_FpUv3cp3T-vOPzVr8nTEBjekjbetx6C9uYlqkwkw5AgKMDN">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Multiple choice</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Mississippi education
officials are considering as many as seven alternate paths to a high
school diploma for students who fail one or more high school exit
exams. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZqUFlqXkwtk44e4h3PVUlVFko1kR6JGykkZzY7U1ABmy6YZKntVhH64O-j6kOnk3g1XnrjZO0I9QJ9TmKiXPcoLnabP68KZgoOamyGuHvJ_-NiqBok9mnlKpMxdT9l-shnFfsNKAXSYMjltE_cBwwCS1M2Ctc7aejozvUWFNl6_9CItoBX6fnxVf-BX_1UNoQM=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>In search of flexibility</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Michigan Gov. Rick
Snyder says schools and students should have more options when it comes
to meeting the algebra II graduation requirement. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZpQAwuDABrZ_BO8ihSvh8q7gMv2TLIIEqQVjAS-FxWYbxvaSDU70UBrP3vq5XgYSAi6wbNcpG_wuTwHK4ddxHDnY1Mep_2lGe-70vpzs75YFmo7XNNY9w4Yn5jJNe2Q9lDhk9EqHyn6ulklVgZhvkiShE9nM5zNohJvp6L4iTpbzXwCK2ftGvbEIyWqKmeDVM4=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Whoopsie daisy</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Testing of public school
students in Montclair, N.J. was canceled after someone anonymously
posted several of the exams on a public website. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZoFCxvpre635QGyY1siGhjXrZvW0_EGdWVB9HDE57VM4zAkY3bnpja_L1AYwXqm2zxVps9itga7RwAN0xuYttngSeubLG_iAN5w51iZjk-agGg4GfcWxFQsF441T8Xv7KfGWdOQkKLq3CvMKxI1T9_3lCWDp17AAzWC1OD1FbZ3mYqx13NvTP7qrMRcuGYvwthfiYYd-yTy8yb9hlGHHNwCdX6n7Ql3Tdil_zyGff83NJJ2r3u9Sg-hpLASn-NYEAtDEIqc1BuGfmL6K7O3ka3wdLApcCdHhtM=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Storm brewing</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">D.C. Mayor Vincent C.
Gray's administration has kicked off an effort to overhaul school
boundaries and feeder patterns for the first time in decades, a
politically charged and long-delayed process that could limit access to
some of the city's most sought-after schools. <a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZoTOouXDxH5jng6lW8dGTwkUjo828xpL8OkfLzhA4HcWMjVeVYpp4Qzzb0MFNed48KXg8wUBZHjgbJsMg3myNWjHr_g27_QqrUCT-zJMXyuV0M0ErSVWm7T5ZhGw2iizswFSCUVe5WmVUHMgQ1cbYn_QcF8Tgu0Ru_8nn26jk63wVNB-hzEjZUW4o0ffN1OK_HpWC-1GDxUvl9JvYqSObPxVv9U5xcfZc6BN3czaE18IIppMi3ZO44Bwo82B33qFxHRUoPot6asS-8r2OzV4w57gGpeA0BvxL6xuf6rwicv0FjRT-NKEPLPTPw1r-3puKM=">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19"></a>
<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><b>GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</b></div>
<div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZrNk3W1k3dWZuoDc239pEomX59JLxTXbFLxz2Uh6U7ivqNb3RLHp8G7LHj0b9lGqAoihMVZt7ki6VAl0dV5klTXma7_7vhSVZsuYgIYWm1qhJgsqqVIbuxKOWrAwDhfv5ygWfF44SX5jA==">Fund for Teachers: Grants</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Fund for Teachers
offers direct grants to teachers to support summer learning
opportunities of their own design. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility:
teachers grades pre-kindergarten through 12, with a minimum of three
years teaching experience, full-time, spending at least 50 percent of
the time in the classroom at the time grants are approved and made.
Deadline: varies by state.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZov8Jwb0Mx8-PRZ7Z-OYlCSQdqjijrQqoyjdwWypg3L0Lxim-oVoTCrbAM_IQFbjrQ021kHYXkOuHfh10IzkjAi_AwHZs4WoMaJm06tEZHD3uV6W7pCtbn3eluRR8dQQwlC9qrLPHfQ-A==">AIA/NAR: Team America Rocketry Challenge</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Team America
Rocketry Challenge is the world's largest rocket contest, sponsored by
the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and the National Association
of Rocketry (NAR). Teams of three to ten students design, build, and fly
a model rocket that reaches a specific altitude and duration determined
by a set of rules developed each year. The contest is designed to
encourage students to study math and science and pursue careers in
aerospace. The top 100 teams go to Washington, D.C. for the national
finals in May. Maximum award: $60,000 in cash and scholarships split
between the top 10 finishers. NASA invites top teams to participate in
its Student Launch Initiative, an advanced rocketry program.
Eligibility: The application for a team must come from a single school
or a single U.S. incorporated non-profit youth or educational
organization (excluding the National Association of Rocketry, Tripoli
Rocketry Association, or any other rocket club or organization). Team
members must be students who are currently enrolled in grades 7 through
12 in a U.S. school or homeschool. Teams may have members from other
schools or other organizations and may obtain financing from any source,
not limited to their sponsoring organization. Teams must be supervised
by an adult approved by the principal of the sponsoring school, or by an
officially appointed adult leader of their sponsoring organization.
Minimum team size is three students and maximum is ten students. Each
student member must make a significant contribution to the designing,
building, and/or launching of the team's entry. Deadline: December 1,
2013.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZr8jtKGsvuX5WsRAYFdsi-juccSqyTL5zgtFEY9fad3QkM8j8fE62D4oXfJOMpQUouBiGfJFYU9gj_sAvjmPpgmXJ3_nadVkmjB0IxJ5-IMz7TzpbWYqbm2VCeAxr_Ihl0SHfvrgRGOsKc3nCNqDzxH">Earthwatch Institute: Fellowships</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Earthwatch Institute
offers educators fully funded fellowships for hands-on learning with
leading scientists doing field research and conservation on projects
around the world. Maximum award: fully funded fellowship. Eligibility:
elementary, middle, and high school educators and administrators of any
discipline. Deadline: two weeks after educator-interest application is
submitted; ultimate deadline May 1, 2014.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>QUOTE OF THE WEEK:</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">"We wouldn't want to
record every conversation they are having in the hallway. The safety and
well-being of our students is our top priority, but we also need for
them to have the time and space to grow without feeling like we are
watching their every move." -- <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(240, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xvR8Z6xHtZo3LlC0hRncjJaGf2nrez-PmLKRbZHr6QShBYoA8JRTVWs6enP63UbUx_iRUl9Pz-g4MSI8Fa-bwZE7WLgfr0-YBTqQ0QTIa4JurFlgdEjHZIsQ8Zi1AAO0ATujsM6kJ44NS7bKl3iAwR6ruC4kUfEG5Bqtgu3zPulT85__dP9oDulqnu1_0ZnerwKIliaXwIV8MxF3KBxaeAKIKUlqkb63YIkHwt2mhuNjvwBux_WXxa5UOfoPFQU4WtAxkYciQ1mL-jQF6ja9BOqsrEjY4OsP">John G. Palfrey Jr.</a>,
head of Phillips Academy in Massachusetts, regarding a new trend by
districts of monitoring all of students' activity on social media.</div>
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>