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<div>November 13, 2013 - In This Issue:</div>
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<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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17">NAEP results inch upward</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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45">Unprecedented changes to special ed in St. Paul</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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44">That charters and special ed report</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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43">Exacerbating the charter debate in Texas</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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42">Educate the whole child</a></div>
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<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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53">The data on homeless students, 2011-12</a></div>
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<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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55">They'll transfer, but will they raise student outcomes?</a></div>
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<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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54">Are states ready for career readiness?</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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK46">BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</a></div>
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<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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK56">BRIEFLY NOTED</a></div>
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<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/38190-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27546705&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19">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;">NAEP results inch upward</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;" size="2">Results
from the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress show that 8th
graders' average score rose 1 point in math and 3 points in reading on
the test's 500-point scale, reports Catherine Gewertz in Education Week.
Fourth graders gained 1 point in math, and had no gain in reading.
Larger shares of students reached "proficient" in 2013, but numbers
overall are still mediocre: In grade 4, only 42 percent of students are
proficient in math and 35 percent proficient in reading. In grade 8, 36
percent are proficient in reading and math. Proficiency rates varied
widely by race, ethnicity, gender, and income level. Fifty-one percent
of Asian and 46 percent of white students reached proficiency in 4th</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;" size="2"> grade
reading, compared with 20 percent of Hispanic and 18 percent of black
students. Forty-two percent of 8th grade girls read at or above
proficient, versus 31 percent of boys. Only one quarter of students
eligible for free or reduced-price meals reached proficiency in 4th
grade math, compared with 59 percent of higher-income peers. In math,
Hispanics improved 2 points at both grade levels but black achievement
was flat. Asian math scores rose only in 8th grade, by 4 points. In
reading, minority achievement was flat in the 4th grade, but in 8th,
Asian students gained 5 points, Hispanic students gained 3 points, and
black students gained 2 points. The rates at which some states exclude
special education students and English language learners from NAEP
testing continues to be an issue. </span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001xZ0EBInXn7v3_QMny0XaDSbVf9LKZoZncz5P5EoJDlxCEtXS-Q1h3EigSfS70t1OnFQyEhoB-RdVpIErH07mfR-Hpcj_GoKDTf7auCCgg1thkAujY7RrAN0ZIqiHlg_J1r3vd9x7DNbH5jSXr_DRxZfXvnLXNaAqul_sp-ANwHL1geGEYTOmuvzwdH-3rZnmrWNMVUFdu_ZgqtJyzZuHJPMSll6W3oXudyQajIfmNMbbW1nG_O_e9g6fY2b0pEehQ8_uGkwD-QPXproQzA_Zrw==" shape="rect">More</a></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;">Unprecedented changes to special ed in St. Paul</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;">St. Paul Public Schools
in Minnesota has closed most of its learning resource centers and placed
students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) in mainstream
classes, reports Mila Koumpilova for the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
According to district leaders, special-needs learning centers had become
increasingly isolated within host schools, classrooms where mostly
black youth fell behind academically. Last year, an unusually high
number (270) of students were in Level 3 behavioral and emotional
disability programs (Level 4 being most restricted). Now, 20 percent of
former learning-center students district-wide spend the entire day in
mainstream classrooms, another 20 percent are primarily in resource
rooms, and the remainder fall somewhere in between. But the teachers
union and advocacy groups for children with special needs say some
educators and families are struggling with the changes, and question if
the district fully explained changes to stakeholders. Many educators
lack the training and experience to meet specialized needs. Sue
Abderholden of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Minnesota said
her organization recommends easing in students gradually, with the
understanding that some kids do better in smaller, more supportive
settings. Starting all EBD students in mainstream classrooms and
revising their individualized plans accordingly strikes her as a "gross
violation" of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7sXFECguEF3MaHgQ0MpiZJeW7V_0IiSaqWd1VjBoI-Fgdpli9xO01My6rD06Elxl-YZ4ljbdT0M4LX49FznGZcwDU1PtI2AZGY4kBUFJmQa8FTOfgqapDuYrSr2lJdlxn1lrIfgLVXY1p8UREGEaSJMN843UV80zfDANdHBCN3xzlqiC3S-L08r0BL6sbhYpa6pAY2cQeADzzSqm9g9_d-sxkhB3XBtRIg=">More</a></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;">That charters and special ed report</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>A
review by the National Education Policy Center of a report published
jointly by the Manhattan Institute and the Center on Reinventing Public
Education about special-education enrollment in charter schools finds
flaws in that report's data, analysis, reasoning, and broader
applicability to the charter-school sector. The report does confirm
disparities in special-education enrollment in New York City between
charter and traditional schools. The report also raises interesting
issues about application and transfer patterns among families who opt
for charters versus those who don't, and offers evidence that more
research is needed to fully understand the scope and details of that
gap. However, the reviewer finds the report neglects a review of related
literature, and ignores alternate explanations for the statistical
patterns found. Relying as it does on a restricted and
non-representative set of data, the report has limited findings that can
be generalized or conclusions that can be drawn. Significantly, it
offers no evidence that the "counseling out" of families of
special-needs children is minimal, nor does it answer why disparities
persist -- a promise inherent in the report's title but not delivered.
For these reasons, the reviewer finds the report fails to provide
results that can inform policymakers.</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=001xZ0EBInXn7uHNoGQJSS4iy_gcOX9jan2yZ5FmmhZwruWkdmfPwE4izKkk89yURi0fFVqU15-Uo2-oCvRH7C24H-C2xjoLMn77ig9vjLmGdaM11opvbb3O5ydpUY0zuiFc6OTGKSczI_xr-NgzE7csMPLVu5csbLB" shape="rect">More</a></div>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Exacerbating the charter debate in Texas </div>
</b></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;">The
Basis and Great Heart schools opening in San Antonio signal a new kind
of charter in Texas, reports Morgan Smith for The New York Times and The
Texas Tribune. The schools offer focused academics in a collegiate
atmosphere, and acknowledge they don't serve all students. Both are what
Julian Vasquez Heilig of the University of Texas at Austin calls "à la
carte schools": While tuition-free, they charge for uniforms, field
trips, extracurricular activities, and athletics. Parents are encouraged
to assist the schools financially through donations, and neither
provides transportation. At the campuses that Great Hearts operates in
Phoenix, 69 percent of its 7,000 students are white, and only two
campuses participate in the federal free and reduced-price meals
program. Of the 5,000 Basis students in Phoenix, Tucson, and Scottsdale,
12 percent are Hispanic and 2 percent black. Nashville, Tennessee
denied Great Heart's charter application last year because of "serious
and persistent questions about their definitions of excellence, and
reliance on selectivity and mission-fit for success." In Texas, charters
can exclude students based on disciplinary history, but cannot consider
socioeconomics, race, or past academic performance. Yet this happens in
practice when charters draw only the highest-achieving or most
dedicated students from traditional public schools, or have prohibitive
fees. Lack of remedial support and a rigorous curriculum also leads
weaker students to not return. </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=001xZ0EBInXn7uN0OIjaFmgaAUCO83ZaCW-HuBf4xWw11xszXBHCMb4dS-PImCOAf1YmjEx09ycj1Jx2qoS5c-XPkOmkPGXTsGkavLJMdXgPB5i5lgL9IzAVF6f4whQmtAHcfqiDx0bMhFqHYMkUhmettHldugXNTOsuy10MVsTS5FeN0wmg_TNQU_kJ71kf5_t_YT6ewg9ladph5bWc7m6seulRD7DdSyUa6MRul09uUC-vUtC_mJ5fqoo9XbvPaH1fxr2nlxCDxOZ2P9igurJpXPIb_2aSVp2C8l0NMBCya0=">More</a></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;">Educate the whole child</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;">
<div><span>The latest Kids Count report from the Annie E. Casey
Foundation uses a new analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal
study, which tracked 13,000 children in kindergarten in 1998</span><span>-</span><span>99,
to show that by third grade, only 36 percent were on-track in cognitive
knowledge and skills, 56 percent in physical well-being, 70 percent in
social and emotional growth, and 74 percent in school engagement. Only
19 percent of third-graders in families with income below 200 percent of
the poverty level and 50 percent from families with income above it had
age-appropriate cognitive skills, particularly if children of color:
Just 14 percent of black children and 19 percent of Hispanic children
were on track in cognitive development. For children to succeed,
classroom learning must be integrated with other aspects of child
development. To prepare all children for success, the report offers
three broad policy recommendations: support parents so they can
effectively care and provide for their children; increase access to
high-quality birth-through-age-8 programs, beginning with investments
that target low-income children; and develop comprehensive, integrated
programs and data systems to address all aspects of children's
development and to support their transition to elementary school. </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=001xZ0EBInXn7uwiUYn9kVl6I4eaHvImPIGAFpQpDizl1QHX_4QUmDnaWV5ueWxEhDDt2e-ngwueATEretO1U2ef4ogHmqxelmdcdPIZVNvgt-pStHhfnvBdLVgds2m6UDz6xUehZB786CgQ_7lH1xF4XacQSipgRvIMs4-cK-bx6kLosmfRENkNZ86WXH2OyZJCw1Z56eXtRlx7ufVRmR3Sx07K_nAJBz2tUOCU_zKef8T4wHN5LRRcCLmbSgwL7Cb">More</a></div>
</span></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;">The data on homeless students, 2011-12</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;">The federal Department
of Education has released new data for its Education for Homeless
Children and Youths (EHCY) Program, which is designed to ensure that all
homeless children and youth have equal access to public education by
requiring states and districts to review and revise policies and
regulations and remove barriers to enrollment, attendance, and academic
achievement. Twenty-two percent of districts in the U.S. received a
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance subgrant in 2011-12, a 16 percent
increase over a three-year period. In 2011-12, districts with and
without subgrants reported 1,168,354 homeless students enrolled in
school, a 10 percent increase from 2010-11 (1,065,794) and a 24 percent
increase over the three-year period 2009-10 (939,903) to 2011-12. The
number of students living in doubled-up and hotel/motel situations
increased between 2010-11 and 2011-12, and the number of students whose
primary nighttime residence was categorized as sheltered or unsheltered
decreased. Of all homeless students in grades 3-8 in districts taking a
state reading test, 51 percent (194,503) met or exceeded proficiency
standards in reading in 2011-12. Of all homeless students grades 3-8 in
districts taking a state mathematics test, 48 percent (185,851) met or
exceeded proficiency standards in mathematics. And of all homeless
students grades 3-8 in districts taking a state science test, 48 percent
(71,703) met or exceeded proficiency standards in science in 2011-12. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7tDj9L3BjUvye-rYx0QA1iKCK9AnUU9ZxStOh56qCE6vTUzgLeT-H78EAcZlYb8uIv5pgh56OQzRzxoM_72o6ICr3syGuL4y6AZdDK91zh8GfJXpgon-s2qqR5hGkR_lSug_GbtXkdR-76dG5n2KcIbxwTrSEbi0as=">More</a></div>
</span></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;">They'll transfer, but will they raise student outcomes?</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>A
new report from the Institute of Education Sciences looks at a
randomized experiment that tested whether selective transfer incentives
-- incentives that move high-performing teachers to low-performing
schools -- improve student test scores. The Talent Transfer Initiative
was implemented in 10 districts in seven states. The highest-performing
teachers in each district were identified and offered $20,000 in
installments over a two-year period to transfer into and remain in
designated schools with low average test scores. Eighty-eight percent of
targeted vacancies were filled by high-performing teachers identified
as candidates for transfer intervention. The report finds the initiative
positively impacted test scores at the elementary level in reading and
math each of two years after transfers, between 0.10 and 0.25 standard
deviations relative to each student's state norms, the equivalent of 4
to 10 percentile points relative to all students in their state. There
was no impact on student achievement at the middle school level.
Retention rates for high-performing teachers who transferred were
significantly greater during the payout period -- 93 versus 70 percent
-- but after payments stopped, the difference between cumulative
retention of high-performing teachers who transferred and their
counterparts was not statistically significant.</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=001xZ0EBInXn7uWcZVfuo4rqTMd7hb-bJ-34ch53e8slpCyB-XtcVThR62kzDxJuhC61Ox_jVH7sCV-zHyYbn3naT2VIbLGN-SWsMxI-pKpP7M2nS_MDLQtmM9jbvRa6L-W5iCgdawyOnfQTqabgwo6tw==">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;">Are states ready for career readiness?</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
Center on Education Policy offers a broad overview of state policies for
defining career readiness and assessing technical skills since adoption
of the Common Core. While 45 states report that they or their districts
assess students for career readiness, just 14 states have established a
definition of what it means to be career- or work-ready: Colorado,
Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Virginia. Another 20
states are in the process of developing a definition. Survey respondents
in just 11 states reported career-readiness assessments have been or
are being aligned with the Common Core. Twenty states said it was too
soon to know whether or how their career and technical assessments might
change in response to the standards. Thirty-eight of responding states
reported using these assessment results to meet federal accountability
requirements for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education
Improvement Act; 21 survey states use them for school accountability,
and 19 use them for student accountability. Only four states permit
students to substitute scores on career and technical assessments for
scores on high school exit exams required for a diploma. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7sN2RrGGwdg5QVoq42lRvP1IyN6MVU6sLglOAyhrLb8FMBIUj_qTcRvgH8l_twJhekg3kjLECvvTQmLQOfAjUq5LxZlR8MLctSw2sY_N0YH_qYCvMDGGI6_jvWnSFOyw9LUYBvJG-gDt_vtbOOYceErY_iM-qrzWe0=">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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<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>Still lousy</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">California students
performed about the same in reading and math on this year's NAEP,
ranking among the 10 lowest-performing states in the country. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7uvTxO4fBv6m00_WgCNad3jruSSskHNpHLzLaw5E3ZTIy9IF7Cw6TV6isujXmkIJ946av_NDxTLlqOH7-pmcr9nYI5GHvQfxEYQbzH8GJAbL5UCbcHtAqcEXvS_e134ABuE57GlBvqW66Akimrcu5OiZTJQTAZcpWoFCUO39-1Oxjqi0TyxaosNV1J57MeRl-GsnkFsz_P6uVAuikDulqQ8ugh39XGjRn3R8Vc1SGDi0XRnmmQJ02zG-ODnlOcSlJwjF9SAkNlfKA==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Lousier still</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">California ranks as the
sixth least-affordable state for infant and toddler childcare and the
16th least-affordable for 4-year-old care. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7uALxt0BF3V1WHdCUKXyCeiHedOFoiWEM5I9Wrx-OvMJ3yTIaopqmPilGOoa6jdEI2NduWKq8ivtD9b76HveyqTkVWLhtZ_dzKvvDyx_9EZ5UEPb1knoIrXj0aB2kfkrMM7zAjrsJ8a-6Cj1uZQgLBjdNuj5hhtfG5GvcaZuN2TjTFADmn8XEXF8gSP_3tK_fSbWgfDk2b-acU36vdIV_3R6X-31ZFjwpiyohaGDtthP6OsObGgmANvGa-uD9zlfEs=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Meanwhile, in Sacramento</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">As schools compete for
students and face pressure from parents to raise the academic bar, many
large districts in the Sacramento region have added or pursued
International Baccalaureate programs. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7vQIPFLQRhp9BHa1BW6KFbIsOzrGlPr4V_aG1L1_Miyc-yR-hl8Q0t5wNShBZy16bwDXUEFBoCXaXgVesfFe084QUTbgIQIfIIDtK9e_qeUWJyaROw75GS9RfsBjtmk5smmCi3aY3akF27-CYdgn-RKGx1YLuXI6PWy3c5TDHSa-_UO-e16nQt_S0drp_jhTHD2SGc4l8oY4-2wC3k4lBh_XDk66QWyKpQ=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Transparency looms, for better or worse</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The LAUSD has lost a key round in a legal battle to keep the performance ratings of individual teachers confidential. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7vatfS9EM0a8VnVQFXPXbTKaI0nT7QaDWJH-8sIcTBO3dgYNSt3g2hvMe5O7gDGVc8CacD4ZXNWM7JEGSWI8-HSQLbWy8C8jyGTOf_6DoC0xyGyxuEQoiR4gdRQU7pbrHR3_boErmWS_ZHPhW_bJfdGdrHsO7yjCyeJY0y1xErtc69x4KZN1ichRV1pidsS2319sr0AMUWnKFKA-ZeB4pM5sr3G5PfHmLEJF60LfX36Uw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt; color: #f04f23;"><strong>And counting</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">With the addition of 104
schools and 49,174 students this fall, California's charter schools
grew 10 percent to serve 519,000 students, or 8.4 percent of the state's
6.2 million K-12 students. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7sNzuzHNLAdWv1a3w8I3_4zXbjl3_iyieyfAYcQalnpJ2dvGLAN4_1XiAdWuDcfTl2vkPMM6DSoceBq5XdrIHmh3M4sPMqSD98n17CtSFs557taCINDfo0SFg1Qfs2KwZRmmNVjSLLXYIErAxiGNpcCDQ-OzwUqlBznVPidNMxCLvRBlscTibaDhLwr7W7Rp_9pdaHHiS64izJGFtDazGH8rPz72r4VWpDpQ8OA5QvCXg==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Can't hurt</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Mall developer Rick
Caruso has pledged $5 million to expand an "ecosystem" of social and
educational programs in Watts in South Los Angeles. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7t47QQFp0-kEK_Zp6NxvUTbNtXNQx-sUJ7-BDLk9ck9XjXdKkiyuIo4Whe-Tsoq_Dh3RpOcermhYl57-6QNXFNKIBl2S4H0TQNdxFmcrxu32jC4lPqDQy4OMRMGqaP402NekXTXryZcOpBGUfMCJj5bUs8dFLBt8cJ7y9I8aKWDKrkHqfTk8ZTCK35QtDC1wPzwwf8w-KqdnA==">More</a></div>
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<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>Bummer</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Colorado voters
emphatically rejected a $950 million tax increase and the school-funding
revamp that came with it, handing Amendment 66 a resounding defeat. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7tQNz6R8z7Z46Vsyha8d9u3SfbrHjHH6VqjkKbJIYp-1jISPv3OcSBr50-PqBeECoW3Ljgw9SePsH9JC3BZ2s6NdVkXdSVE-jMpDxYBB044HlJ2Q5Jr9kfsQMTgnGCarnbkkjNB7l2hYvSarhtbzV9nb_VyQQGsB5A_4ft563YaUTXbju9QAjkDVZZMZRs9UQ3GNIGT0GTvpaoiFGmDTY9I4W0qz8rJrw68AZXsNpU8WQ==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>(Little) Rock bottom</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Only 137 of Arkansas 1,055 schools met achievement goals this year. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7swv6-R5K52g5YZF2xhzY5lmZTwsgC0JGFQxOOpJQ71CPcqUDJdf6Cxf3B_ag7gFQJXOP4JyszZpH5iWmRnRE5TBOu6ngeJqHj8RFMgQXrovZI23kdx9AdMY2F4YLoNN6JpxFoqYv5hxcf5C-l1P1kJzyKJAtq5f0e2X1aOHXt6v4Il3CeXmkAXJ9EkfaswwS1nY5D49bhoHSmCFeWWY3viaCCCzWOOTWo=">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>No holding back</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The D.C. Council has given tentative approval to a bill intended to end social promotion in the District's public schools. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7uYbmRuvEYAqsHrdkxXSWTYGmPch9iRiSsP4mXZkYVgcB1ONgKAziUJaWgOrRAgyBYhSWou_XXQKhwM9FOIYRtVo5K_Do9rV48xBJR0HmYjU4XNChccLEgxRw0IsHsXXoT0kSPD7emvYm8nvVgA742BRw9Ynx4ICYGcDCULo7BCKszFDzXuIEiXq3iaKEznq_ECQpvp7OeS0QtTHdxGiCPaXRFSRpiVJVnAL8UyitQdgz9AbKqQWjii7N_rmLJ0gP9Ihct-pINpaeig_4JxdxbQ2BUqWXiAhtfi4bArTWv48CA1KlxRIN43dLbypzwe5m9sJaPRhyTwJA==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Better late than never</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">In Michigan, several
hundred community college dropouts were surprised to learn they had
enough credits to qualify for an associate degree, as were ex-students
who apparently didn't know they were just a few credits shy. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7tShLRbCi4GSjH5xXG6BFMmG1WUHfmvop7_-JBIbhE3u-101LqZVLj8TgMo2A6cVBY-YJMKmII600iys9D8puhuROQNs9xqSJLDeK9AmkA_oOyALRWbXIOTPNGmD2ohPGDhGrHLotoFaU7EIUAOnJWOb_nB0T8pGgvIpaKq-AnH6yyYu7bts-_aLzvPrEKwVovtiwN_TLImNg-KSZ4-KXXwpUtln9uP0CDjOtbQa1tDKGLqmxgnhsBj">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Preparing our next generation of princesses and astronauts</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Denver Public Schools is
launching a new system that would begin monitoring students'
preparation for college and career as early as kindergarten. <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=001xZ0EBInXn7uF44mGlBinTfVPL160QHyhysD0qpoTIw3IZ2zJHp15Zvp2kysVXwL1AuEdU23OQw3ZKacCEeWx6rWIPmBckChLxj4YWpTysSXehue-7O8Q20mhsEwanFhlvQiVn8yPz_tPro9hZP7Rep4TjAOylcw42exjqcG1lIubYQa0ebqA2BMwOqMB82qK3RoFKCF5jvhUcs0JRmpR1LSTRmupqPku">More</a></div>
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<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><b>GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</b></div>
<br>
</div>
<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=001xZ0EBInXn7ubUojxIpSlKMwVknNkWWfuLA1Zy6l-OtAiTX9u3tvt4Htk4YocAv0wIfXuBCLpVzaKPNxNzifx4N6Bx4xD3r_b8DUAuz_kVWXaTnff7sH1JZ1R7OFaT1hisaXwjNyqVbCaDl0t-KN5Awwmi5Pt4OQ5D0-FhwCT2oc=">NSTA/PASCO: STEM Educator Awards</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The National Science
Teachers Association PASCO STEM Educator awards recognize excellence and
innovation in the field of STEM education at the elementary, middle
school, and high school levels. Maximum award: $1,500 to cover travel
expenses to attend the NSTA national conference and be part of a STEM
share-a-thon workshop; a $1,000 monetary gift; a $2,000 certificate for
PASCO scientific products; and recognition during the Awards Banquet at
the NSTA national conference. Eligibility: K-12 STEM educators with a
minimum of 3 years teaching experience in the STEM fields, who implement
innovative inquiry-based, technology-infused STEM programs. Deadline:
November 30, 2013.</div>
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<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=001xZ0EBInXn7s1N1u42XZdlRtOdiYkqJpWGCUDGhqVBcGNKjLw3tiDw2td2axbnJhCCT9Lxi2ZdfwMtvbIUjHZ6r2xSm2Ctqpe_BH-gvy8FB-7T0xVJ9Pn-0bVK6MqyW4jOQjLk62M3TdSYKJHIW15QWuehWbhb-6rU2w53bGK27YBzwqhGja47w==">NSTA: Ron Mardigian Memorial Biotechnology Explorer Award</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The National Science
Teachers Association Ron Mardigian Memorial Biotechnology Explorer Award
recognizes an outstanding high school teacher who has made
biotechnology learning accessible to the classroom. Maximum award:
$1,000 towards expenses to attend the NSTA National Conference; $700 in
Bio-Rad products; and recognition at the National Conference Awards
Banquet. Eligibility: high school teachers. Deadline: November 30, 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=001xZ0EBInXn7uuUdoZw7XJRGKmR92DbkvFrTPZaZleDL04mCc9ew3q6qrd0WYAAZKXskZv_KgMEN0ff9if-Mh4ImxwhPiG1nHQBy2bgew3IhGkIjK3WmU6w46_y4VmmQh0en9xqRSE6MtCNnDDvQsLLneP0-0ydYk4">NEA: The Big Read</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Big Read is an
initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts to restore reading to
the center of American culture by providing citizens with the
opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities.
The initiative includes innovative reading programs in selected cities
and towns, comprehensive resources for discussing classic literature,
and an extensive website providing comprehensive information on authors
and their works. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: literary
organizations, libraries, and community organizations across the
country. Deadline: January 28, 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;">"The students were preyed upon. They were absolutely targeted. It took us by surprise, but now we know." -- <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=001xZ0EBInXn7v-4zja_K5A83hCH8MnkBFfff8MFMFrx0-yiOnyY-qaNSGnbOm1azV7Jv8dkp2_cGmrvEWSS4rL4_DIaqSgjiUUFXycsWgGZpkIbu_QjWoE-nHXtpxwwdEoScnfOfIcITt8eVuX3nHQY4G0DfB29ORO_Ye7WwsRbCJiLH7S5BZvs_8FdScsQYldGs-ClMXdfo9AQVJDKORXp6wDm6SpO4-v">Angee Shaker</a>,
spokesperson for Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District
in Ohio, where less than a week after iPads were handed out, more than a
dozen students were mugged on the way home from school.</div>
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