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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>

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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.BLOCK45">Unprecedented changes to special ed in St. Paul</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.BLOCK44">That charters and special ed report</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.BLOCK43">Exacerbating the charter debate in Texas</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.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>

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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.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>

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<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 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 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>
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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>
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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;">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>


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<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>

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<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>


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<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>


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<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>


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<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 style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><b>GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</b></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=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>


<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=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>


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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=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>


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<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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