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<div>February 25, 2014- In This Issue:</div>
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<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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17">Tackling teacher distribution</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45">The higher cost of higher standards</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44">Lessons from Singapore</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43">The challenge with DC middle schools</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42">Magnet alternatives</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53">A stumble in Vergara</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55">Early Childhood data, how we track it, what we do with it</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54">Toward comprehensive policies for ASD</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19">UPCOMING EVENTS</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/38394-114/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27593588&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK60">GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</a></div>
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<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>
<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;">Tackling teacher distribution</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 U.S. Department of
Education is developing a 50-state strategy that could finally address
inequitable distribution of the nation's best teachers, reports Michele
McNeil for Education Week. Under NCLB, states were required to ensure
all teachers were "highly qualified" by 2005-06, using as proof a
teacher's years of experience, certification, and education. But another
NCLB provision, largely ignored, required that poor and minority
students not be taught by unqualified teachers at higher rates than
their peers. Fewer than half of states have equity plans for
teacher-distribution issues, with most plans several years old. Just
five states have updated teacher-quality plans since President Obama
took office in 2009. The Department of Education has tried to modernize
NCLB teacher-quality language by shifting emphasis from qualifications
to effectiveness, and linking efforts to NCLB waiver renewal, but many
states have balked at these provisions. For a new strategy, federal
officials will use a mix of enforcement and bureaucratic levers that
include investigation of districts and schools by the Office for Civil
Rights (OCR); new state teacher-equity plans; and new rules for waiver
renewals. A logistical challenge is that inequitable distribution can
occur between districts, between schools within the same district,
within an individual school, or within a single grade level. <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=001NQ6iEzRIsFv8ixC-UWAf8jFN4n50ORC0IBZmNTPymvNzD_SYAVvIvisYZJBrwzEorf6RNpxJtp0Pj5iBJZnW9UA7vTp4C2rXVQSXVoWe8uVnCV0z8G1t9cz4HFZU5UjLeUDL9ZWF27USrYas3ayjgYP4byeXaqixKAQqPeDtx8vbRSjZrYChb57FL8DNtVpLitgT1z0OSk21AlRAtmU7OR2qEBrdJoCCsicIli7I481JXo04AAABCrHdGGGY199UFi9nrLhJh60E6vghBE_zMw==">More</a></div>
</span></div>
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<div>
<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 higher cost of higher standards</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;">Across the country,
litigation is pending against 11 states over inadequate or inequitable
school funding, with higher standards at the heart of arguments, writes
Adrienne Lu for Stateline.org. More states are demanding students be
ready for college and careers by high school graduation, holding
teachers and schools accountable. Plaintiffs argue that educating
children at higher standards is costly, and that states must more
accurately gauge cost. Extra money could be used to shrink class sizes,
offer preschool to low-income students, or strengthen instruction for
students with special needs who are held to the tougher standards along
with their classmates. Yet Eric Hanushek of the Hoover Institution
thinks there's too much focus on what states spend, and too little on
how they spend it. He argues school spending is largely driven by class
size and teacher salaries, and asserts neither is closely related to
student achievement. A common thread in the lawsuits is that states have
failed to comply with prior court rulings. Often states have argued
they lack funds, particularly during the recession. But Michael Rebell
of Columbia University, who filed the recent lawsuit on behalf of New
Yorkers for Students' Educational Rights, says courts have consistently
ruled that "fiscal constraints by the state are not an acceptable
excuse." <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=001NQ6iEzRIsFv4RH2Ycp4z2IRfVnenqReGSprrhqgz7ivPuGIytUEYR3fovvwVC0NAPXRoobD262p2Dw9YDlxelOLTSxt-X1QCk7x7kGa2NUh95_Zf44RPGUBtisG9m5jMh4nUbA5Hr0O2Dmq9qd8yBqf5EpcrXuEwdmxvTwXdGm_h3lts26Rphozf_cFLTPOnzLdHP8VJ3xjpioRmFaA8GLv-UoAf73QwVNsX2MahmB8=">More</a></div>
</span></div>
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<div>
<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;">Lessons from Singapore</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>On
a recent visit to Singapore in search of lessons from its
high-performing public education system, Sarah Butrymowicz of The
Hechinger Report found no big secret the U.S. could copy tomorrow. But
some of Singapore's strategies challenge the most popular ideas for
improving American schools, she found. Singapore is looking to revamp
its standards, for instance, but is focused on introducing skills like
collaboration and creativity into the curriculum. Butrymowicz noted many
Singaporean students are stressed, and the country is therefore seeking
to decrease its emphasis on grades and test scores. And the country's
small size, plus the fact that schools are run by a centralized
authority, allows the Ministry of Education, the National Institute of
Education (which trains every teacher in the country), and schools to
closely communicate around research and strategies. Programs are
implemented quickly, and outcomes are readily tracked and tweaked when
needed. Half a million students attend the island's schools, but most
school populations are more than a thousand, even at the primary level;
classes of 35 to 40 are typical. So a great deal of what Singapore does
wouldn't apply to our much larger, decentralized system. But we should
try, as they do, to get more high-performing students to become
teachers, and be more explicit in the character qualities we want
students to develop (without obsessing over how to measure them).</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=001NQ6iEzRIsFuDmoD6fNpd6UswKrgnzoMWc1_b1uZFWYK76Pj68gWOPRw57ToT3Uf8VkzSJVH3Qf51_DXnWBlvvsQPDxO0N57KPFGlSDTgaBh4Ri5vlwAjmV4HxHVoTJhtgDWAZGxtJYirwyQ8oq7i_Q8vE2pmyomYF06s4JZAHjMLEE1FR_ygaKEx23e7faP5wnHBoUfv-IG1OWUvqvJEmA==">More</a></div>
</div>
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<div>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><b>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The challenge with DC middle schools</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;">The District of
Columbia's long-struggling middle schools continue to prompt an exodus
to charter, private, and suburban schools, write Emma Brown and Scott
Clement in The Washington Post. Students who leave after elementary
grades generally have the most educated and engaged parents, who cite
poor academic results; concerns about safety, discipline, and culture;
and a lack of course variety and extracurricular activities as reasons
for leaving. And while District elementary schools are increasingly
diverse, poor and African-American students are the majority in all but
one of the city's stand-alone middle schools. Officials claim strides in
middle-grades improvement, and middle-school enrollment is up 12
percent this year over last. Middle-schoolers have also made some of the
largest math and reading gains in recent years, and strong principals
and teachers are leading a culture change. Still, among DCPS parents,
only 31percent would send a child to a DCPS middle school, 30 percent
would seek a charter middle school, and the rest say they'll look to
private schools or leave the city. The challenge arises as the first
cohort to grow up with high-profile D.C. education reforms, including
universal pre-kindergarten and mayoral control of the schools, reaches
the end of elementary school and a decision about what comes next. <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=001NQ6iEzRIsFtzJFwKIwYH40DLaym5qLQerFtPJZvxjm6150qcxfw7PBbeI3pGTcGhUE33rQIHC5ea5g90zOqicgrUtpEQqSNxJQbI_QvHL47d6x1A3D3MGyKt6eq7Br6GnPPqjJKQJg35OjF_8KxPKBCFHRgZ4OlBfuISK6t3IPuG-0JcluHSqvxM8o5VHFXnfBXSNcAiJZ6k8Cy3_EapPt2g_ohTadd0butJ-FTeQWohGKfxeLyPTeMOWlvRsSQyhRZ1URjPCCBWFwPyMlsWwQr9oE2wQSLOP01hvjfhkfeK9p9qx2icQ5Yji7fYE_RZdLrYefgPGVvC5uwS3imZjm5uswzL2E66rS2AZ0aTBX41yBlRcG0iu-AKqCDi3_IGryGUqPbwyMc=">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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<div>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><b>Magnet alternatives</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>Five
decades ago, magnet schools were introduced as an alternative to
court-ordered busing, to slow white flight and to offer alternatives to
low-performing zoned schools, writes Motoko Rich for The New York Times.
They never quite delivered, but in urban districts like Chicago,
Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark, and Washington, they've resurfaced
in response to charters and private-school vouchers. Children in
Miami-Dade County attending magnets have increased by 35 percent in the
past four years, with similar patterns across the country. About 2.8
million students attend magnet schools nationally -- more than the 2.6
million enrolled in charters. Magnets are fully part of public systems
-- their teachers are unionized and they follow district rules -- so
their revival is seen as part of an effort to save public schools.
Still, critics worry that magnets, like charters and vouchers, could
drain neighborhood schools of the most motivated students, increasing
racial segregation. The federal government awards grants to open or
expand magnet schools with the explicit aim of increasing diversity, but
charters receive about four times as much federal money and are not
required to meet integration goals. Magnet supporters say that to
increase diversity, districts must inform parents of options. Teacher
unions would prioritize community-based schools.</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=001NQ6iEzRIsFuw9jBfT8kAys__cYtcTcFznIoLrKvYGkrjMXqAVe2QsenV9wX7R1wt7ZaFu_dTiT1nBEdlO2tI1APiKViSdQg7bL4YWsgpuUn6Gfmvcc8ok_JQe7W0JDqD8hl263GNW7i97k0U5s_IYfJA6ygbBeUd0J4jnzeLfL3QEjRA-5CR0uYLO_tUtVun5R0uW-xi5pqqMGxJfhqDibAZxvc24WdkVGT0KXIPymOqfLIXy9OWIWQzb0KAEaz0" shape="rect">More</a></div>
</div>
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<div>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><b>A stumble in Vergara</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;">In the landmark case
Vergara vs. California, defendants called Dr. Susan Moore Johnson of the
Harvard Graduate School of Education to support their argument that
well-managed schools and districts can handle ineffective teachers.
Johnson testified against many of the plaintiffs' key points, including
that administrators lack time to identify ineffective teachers. She said
"there is no question" that trained administrators can identify poorly
performing teachers within a year. Several witnesses for the plaintiffs
had testified that requiring tenure decisions after 16 months is too
short a time. Johnson also told the court that effective Peer &
Assistance Review programs (PAR), which most districts have, contribute
to efficient and effective dismissal processes, ensure due-process
rights of teachers, and "didn't lead to expensive arbitration
process[es]." But under intense cross-examination by Marcellus McRae,
the plaintiffs' lead lawyer, Johnson became uncomfortable as McRae fired
off a series of questions about the extent of her research and
knowledge of California districts. He pointed out that Johnson's work
was limited to studying just one California system. When asked if she
had specific knowledge of how California dismissal and tenure statutes
benefit students, she replied no; for seniority laws, also no. Did
Johnson know the average cost associated with the dismissal statute in
California? Again, she said she did not. The case continues this week. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFtjDXZxIZTYKNyDJSfPL-oFAGixW7uaTs9U-GHmlgWd6lFy1_UB7Etj7QvwE3JbQR0wRAr9RZoI85qP2XQzRLVHwDBroqE_St5H5YwSguM72H6FZMLEWSTrKvOqsGRKjbDgXsuqRp5kkCzmo6q1m6iP6FDuQaATK0BCcC3EC1wL9ZfI4NvyNGigz1x_XSBnO3hMfYk_qhsV9g==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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<div>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><b>Early Childhood data, how we track it, what we do with it</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
Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) assesses early-childhood data
systems in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Education,
health, and social-services staff were surveyed around states' capacity
to securely link child-level Early Childhood Education (ECE) data and
collect screening and assessment data. Since data are often housed in
different databases, states struggle to get an unduplicated count of
children served and to assess program quality. Of all states, only
Pennsylvania links data across programs. Twenty-six states securely link
child-level data across publicly funded early-care programs, generally
for state pre-kindergarten and preschool special education rather than
Head Start or subsidized childcare programs. Thirty states link
child-level data to K-12 data, 20 states link child-level data to
social-services data, and 12 states link child-level data to health
data. Thirty-six states collect child-development data, and 29 states
capture kindergarten entry-assessment data. Thirty-two states have a
dedicated entity overseeing state-coordinated longitudinal ECE data
systems. The ECDC recommends that policymakers and practitioners
strengthen state capacity to securely link data on young children across
all state and federal programs; develop strategies to incorporate data
from Head Start and subsidized childcare; expand state efforts to
collect, link, and use screening and child-assessment data; create and
strengthen state ECE data governance entities; and convene stakeholders
to inform ECE policies, safeguard privacy, and build coordinated
longitudinal ECE data systems. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFuBnxx7HS55Hb3OG0-lx2gxWGwswE10atfX4ed-2D7vkZPnFHBVCeHJV4jeFwm68q7sfzFntPY0xBL1s_5URpceRqpypO3XrzTGdwsSW1pFhGjKGgUdraZ_uTMeioWPXKNcgsxGRN-DS0-9hXpyH3sv5DUDTQkq_KRVXoVFzpdM2ZkHMlXApA1QjbqtvkTcldSYtwZHDuCrv-03c9Ry8BZhsx_wRLpg6P-X0sir0HKc8A==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
</span></div>
</div>
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<div>
<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;">Toward comprehensive policies for ASD</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>A
new report from the Education Commission of the States examines state
responses to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), the
fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States.
Recognizing needs of ASD children, as well as financial implications for
local governments, some states are reassessing support systems and
looking for more efficient ways to serve ASD students and families.
Minnesota has established a special-education license for teachers of
students with ASD, and Virginia requires aides working with autistic
students to demonstrate competency in student behavioral management.
Maine's Department of Education and the University of Maine are
collaborating as the state's primary resource for leadership, training,
and technical assistance for educators and schools working with ASD
students. Missouri has established a scholarship tax credit for children
with ASD, and Ohio requires notification to parents of ASD students
about the state's autism scholarship program. The report offers five
questions for state policymakers: Does your state have standards for
early diagnosis of ASD and subsequent intervention? Does your state
require insurers to cover treatment? Does your state provide options for
kids to attend programs specifically targeted to the disability, and if
so, how are costs handled? What competencies do staff with oversight of
students with autism need to demonstrate? And what standards determine
when ASD students can and should be included in mainstream classrooms?</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=001NQ6iEzRIsFv9QpLkiciH_c6KI0Uwd4sOFsq7KejnRMAP1Ed1ol4kvFM_Q3_xzqtxt4pK0ADGpDNGFI5yG2vHh8HXSFEDtT6oWaLRwTHE-YlcWF0Z3WKQ4y1e4_7BgQEro4dutCtsgZ_lqLrKM8UB5MKtzSp7stDgOYVj1Yb9X2A=">More</a></div>
</div>
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<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</b></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>Justice served</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Setting a clear
expectation that schools be a place of safety and fairness, California's
Commission on Teacher Credentialing has adopted new standards for
school principals that embrace restorative justice practices. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFssklmHCm8IUr904oMtKh5B0_nqhHoRG3RXbpsNJqdINpL7JXWJ_lGQf5URL14lCkpMwHQuRxfJzZf365K6IKbvSRKr7Syu4rilUgGtntXbnw-RdpUqlzt38ZGWGtvJPQZjg9zF4kO-64d67gOcJ81tABELb500WDv0-3BtFpBFisAWAxADHtynGU13hQtOG6NPQpy4Epw2RRYPvO7ea01z" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>A different tack</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">After withdrawing an
aggressive plan to enhance online learning in K-12 classrooms last year,
Gov. Jerry Brown has returned with a less ambitious proposal, to
streamline how schools convert student independent-study work into seat
time and thus state funding. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFtM0NJ11X0rX0MedwEhRJ6SxE38ob_hFj2M7JMF1O7fXRMJnqvo5z6ADV_iIDZI0ZsGiWZeEBiNqXsz2JSWnjoICE4HrqMLM9vj7QP_oosF5BJwdfqr8eHMobNMdloKfq_KTH5l9CR1Lzgqr_rJ-Oa1yyP4himEyt8GSsT6WMuEsHHiW_LA0rFK9bzOrSv2-R6bWM57EPX08jT9sS7tJfp6" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>How's that work?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A look at each freshman
class each year at the California State University system in the last
decade reveals a paradox: all the students have met CSU's class and
grade requirements to gain acceptance, yet every year a significant
portion test unable to do college-level math and English. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFsj7-IY1EsHi3YF-FzrIa42qzu4eZWBJfUfvME4kOM_k7wocG5k5AdC6EysmGvOD49AHdrlJrGMoqporxDXbtn_DsQZHRivRSWRpnDBeVdFnJdC0LM-KFzzQtI1R_6hYfaI19TJ2NS1eHReCzLkX8vhWF8GEz3TKSYlhY-roAsCfS_-MmQ9b8tLdGraraUUeO4lQvWK3eOl8nEHRvUAFSUx6_SD8Mg1V0BbGfDCdRAbOg==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>The return of bilingual?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Sixteen years after
California voters approved an initiative requiring public school
instruction in English, state Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) has
introduced a measure to repeal the requirement of Proposition 227. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFvjsLg_ziO_RKjZ0HPQWjFtKplobrYZL56E01unSyymX8TvWQFkobj5MHiQu0VF2kWFmjfPP99tXyNpy2dFEt6JrhT0vlhUtbw5DKTHH5W1_TwWJmURw2FfknVl_-QPZMhGJ5GmpJTVDnMvKNaFentqiibQL-RrSuKe0cnfRcJI2j5WYIQlayg07l6QmtuUipOp3Ew7PAu79cZGlWQwrxAZeTYKE7umMQPd5XJmCWZqYwfZTQo9IMsdBbnzwuDmax9r5F1IANw_Xy23V6pwk15cT6roLR2_O5M=" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>Not hopeful</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A Los Angeles Unified
school board committee has found a backlog of 50,000 neglected repairs
at campuses, a number that is only expected to grow, since the budget
for repairs has been slashed by more than 65 percent since 2008. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFtzHWG8dumj9IYI48cYGm84t3Tl0s6aYWApER0v3mgSgJ0m9GNNrHr0rPr93SuvT_HhF37Fv_hvP-244U1j8MNjw2R_BoUs2rnxTygHAqbmfcTmyYaxyJSC2rWZnK2MIjyC9Q-xc1AN3Spwf0z7n85tMkqoVXkMSVBOYlUwA7NkP5byop2xF5M-QUCHAx_DmmdocBbXDMAdLomXJRuOvEBmyNWXWKukRb6uQPvjX1kG3A==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><b>Further unrest</b></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Teachers in the Alpine
Union School District in San Diego County are striking, the latest
chapter in a more than year-long conflict over how to balance the
district's budget. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFvYeT4o9fDiO95RdKlg2OuozQg9R41ovuW5lCAoBrmfLR3GLsgEwLuhucWWs96QT3355KDVcZdKnhhawMokwBXbxgsWScv6NNfX7zXA0hDB9rnEj58u3BK8VObUpMylyAAX0fU7_JFVVInNrY1TurSHSFJGRC9Vaj7B5GvJdB_D0ZamMY-4nKuqOg5xIroO3qjxSp5OK9SkBg==" shape="rect">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: #f14f23;"><strong>Botched!</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Dennis Van Roekel of the
National Education Association said the rollout of the new Common Core
academic standards has been "completely botched" in many states and that
wholesale changes taking place in U.S. classrooms need an immediate
"course correction." <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFt2BAJh9DSgQg2EjiJTpWDSCYrAX2nkAA0RtKuJk0aaegzIx5by3lx2W0I4KI6HTO1gxzDsVBbUR4pU3sT-C0vHailt1jzMYckz8ke02-wO9U-mjzxfEjJdQRxpEnvGDfssdgqZyAwlX05sU_uE1tVYK4FlxztfpV0AO6bSlzcsie_SMmtT4Pl7Brzl9eBVLz2TxnrSZ4_ECup0IhkyXvTxSOWtuRaYG86DLXTlsOEPqB5WKFPUic9FSoH9yxyLYaZWb93LEiRiXlVOQzveJBVvG8rS5f1AosSS9Ca15RbTqutYoYNplMnX" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>No dice</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The U.S. Department of
Education has rejected, at least for now, Arkansas's and Utah's requests
for a one-year delay in implementing the final phase of their
teacher-evaluation systems. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFt8bu2K_QWtxonPbryD9oYTX_BnpTA4J9rNtXFVApG1GAP5Mfr-z0QulnZfMTZYL_eKdAulBVWxA7TVs9UfJDxekGGmjrk9XpBd2nblPC7fEqWbQk8ITIzyEumrDGWEYpVdJxMGgmxkpKlFDwzvyu28ZMWGUoOterzcdyhGaZiltEvilxHm_B3QE85s6xoNMdG0L6pCerZfStozjFZTtGymJouFXBWFGDGi6ChG34d3Ha2_7hxxQt0A4AUHRp2vNI5CLVX9WxL1wjuvTDj00QoOmWQPr-gQm8GFJQvykze_7vMYCfK0RpqrR4y9UI0NKwLg7UrX44AKBCHGgO4kD5iDD-XaJGmC8iGCv7kfHqCu7D9zuKuZVd9IfNx0ZQv8UOQZ5ZeMkjXByZOA9qEuma4w" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>Excellent move</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Utah House of
Legislature has voted to create a state program to award grants to
schools, families, and day-care centers to implement quality preschool
curriculum for at-risk kids. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFuK0MOelMll9132NzS2iacU6SWGigMIuTflcoNbHjVqqeD4D35wZcvKkYlJu6_l9JwO-k1kHJeeYV_UPCmJaO3PSgjXMxNigj-BDv6cTilQjietlTbFymLKjNADCotNay37nBKcF0YDUQss6b8-8ruSsqnPFkSe61ha8TOIaTj2SHHWMmP4EDZtgCv1T_8taeopDTeV9nsgdw==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>Not so hot</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Among young Texans who
started eighth grade in 2001, less than one-fifth went on to earn a
higher education credential within six years of their high school
graduation. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFsKLHPyJZ7LFmcAi_iwfZPXozYcftvlACacVw_GKuGT79oXeuhVBWss3tFSSTZOFZTOa-gpzKFM1UR4FV6ea6sMTpBtd_oBGfTSa82DWb2Qoy88PJArVm4iJzizdJZqX7-u5S4PRpUG7P3rqGFAOTlAPP6EooNj5wD2lisBndiHOkzMxYSzOFGP_872hi2WwKQhwzUIveEiN4iErJwCblPf" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>Pricey</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Proposals to create a
state voucher worth more than $6,000 for parents who withdraw their
special education student from a Mississippi public school are making
progress in the state House and Senate.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFtbcSJgWKcPOF7B8i0rBAgHHmhxbZrR673h-wIFCzvu8ZsU5Fh73jC-JSzT2sWRYGuZP82u2txypg6ns0EuXJLLNAoEKAMylh6henjQpg1TKQq2fpqw_WAzx5nUUtNfRjK93G9AXEzpa2EL5wib8MceXRMz5MomcF5_970JIB9pnhlrXI1esQ-JEVblfJUvCJsECFFbzHNG7SHC3l7Xjp8f9mrh9dscW4ihptBJ6S8Ki-3IOtIf7Ur2" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>Cursive prevails</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Florida Board of
Education has unanimously approved changes to the Common Core that
include the addition of new standards related to calculus, and a new
basic requirement for cursive writing.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFs_BH9NrKhmrDDf2Q8nfpWSX2SW6bSogsJRHqakyKtavRYb1X8oiix5mNTuBbHkVnnKBXupWtS_DYilKYIOPTfOYCGl7auYkF6PQ4STBfYAoFZ1Y8oV0KDtJqae3sz-mLjn_IAkBX4Erql_aM2hPDehk88jb2jsWrfBq2IvXUuDaJ8UolOAG1VmrnRdJ6INQPYKHsZJf-YxN32auvhIVTuISz-Moj7vRKJHk1CryCAlW-RiLuJGDIZkjVss4CWwspI=" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><strong>Reprieve</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">North Carolina is the
first Race to the Top state to be allowed an extra year to tie teacher
evaluations to personnel decisions -- a measure of flexibility the U.S.
Department of Education has offered to all waiver states but was
reluctant to grant RttT winners. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFuiMvoKUZxkmU-TeC1wUPZypvw_oXONXnRUhVJ-TEgRvDKlZhfY6nA4-RFpSBW7DJt4BozW4f68xVGK-d9iF-qAH7O7ILNdCLXLGwbwTvBTTVCx-OUbFk3wsl8nDm331Obd4qz2fBNvzk0OWukQEHTezYeCybp8gy3Rt0IFIom34Bq_4iwEa8PcGDSkEc-saHLQhprTTtw6KT7ip27Pv3Bb5MfgLd6pDR0d-S-RUPOs9KnvRVY3bARJwflJWcNWoH7HdNE-MCN_42-xCzYUQ2hrqVFsIjo9tNN4WV8H5FoJ0YK3UDuGtO0AT-eYTc45L6RFkyqo0w6sjyKbzZCkGUNoTTqDcugkl6h8nIifuphJUFxerLB0uIszoZaY93a9gWw4hKdZuTmeAzTsKf1OEDKL" shape="rect">More</a></div>
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</tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK19" 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>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><b>UPCOMING EVENTS</b></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The 2014 Community
Schools Forum will have a theme of "Community Schools: Engines of
Opportunity" and will take place in Cincinnati from April 9-11, 2014. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFuHtg1gT3d6I8koPK9F_EkUY0X7ukpREmlHycJ1XtPqhHONElZ7vSMcezwB7v1od5QH-BJ3q-eZ4xiulfo6FsmRvGMxKEasVjPqccKmuFvducpHY5vmiA04zWlpzd1q0CI-0WhW6y08G6wFKzVTu72RYzPcW264xuTXZ0RVvBpoSgL8sh3prAQmqgn8NsR6IpjcL_KwSjI7HwT_Yw8e43aRT8Ye_tb4DRivR8XlIGUD_P0vYg7ZbnFZQWHmBgL9TGg=">More</a> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The California School Health Centers Association invites you to join hundreds of</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> school officials,
educators, community school partners, and children's health stakeholders
in downtown Oakland March 6-7 for Advancing School Health in a Time of
Reform. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFtud79-B-mSBAjNlT4SWT6GED4R8lOuW37JGD7synX2jsnB2PnWovKjqoRepaRHsfx_3O8JsvzX4cag_hLEPfaVhRo2Z3NXVpBvMIr1KtAjzGU0nkB3rYW4G00YfTczUajW5RCf9NHYn-DGDtd6yrP7q6BP31L4Sebo0cAZNl6i4K0VKHoq9pr5oUBW4_HbQnI=">Learn more</a></div>
</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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFtVdkOsfb4wL8YoRG6Q3vQ2zL_tn-3IKmoVKL6NU4oVCewC1snLtfJrCrDppzFo8lyU41NORCXeSO2IEZ6UdS9hW1l5bUowwyHNfC4PeJVrqagvhfIJswCeNlmFbGAQHwqd7IFahGTHnZP1QhJnt0o-jsDPjziMyU8=">Dominion Foundation: Education Partnership Grants</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The
Dominion Foundation is currently accepting applications for grants to
encourage the development of new programs to strengthen math and science
education in kindergarten through grade 12. Maximum award: $10,000.
Eligibility: accredited public and private elementary and secondary
schools and public school divisions in North Carolina, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia. Deadline: May 1, 2014.</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(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFuckhCfkVBdy3nn9qImRHyq-07NJgqDx4B8yYkiSHvOTaA6DkLkQ6Vky35HnPu3A1BuBTbq9oG_iPTNnMfpuYpuvqs3iuR2a7v3Vc9WYhiNBswIfZLFrEOjP47IyiNA1W4=">Libri Foundation: Books for Children Grants</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The
Libri Foundation Books for Children Grants donate new, quality,
hardcover children's books for small, rural, public libraries across the
country. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: Libraries should be in a
rural area, have a limited operating budget, and an active children's
department. The average total operating budget of a Books for Children
grant recipient must be less than $40,000. Deadline: May 15, 2014.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f14f23;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>QUOTE OF THE WEEK:</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">"Kids
come in with diabetes, major seizure disorders, psychological problems,
problems whether it's mental, physical, emotional, and we see them all.
We are the front line for many, many things." -- <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(241, 79, 35); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001NQ6iEzRIsFvn4iyz5vo_YgC-aM5h3E5TKyebZ4peUjtZLtBcaGrZalr1kpRNSMZWKPTape0tmWeQgG2G8GYrbZoCcjbGNSdNOGOu-god0WIbjqXeEvLdYl7JoKKgLdpZAz8cXsvc68OMTk62PZ_BR_wHOWZ5PtqAe3sMFR6wjV4xnFtchUHQTslON-2wE1yd6topn5d3vek=">Debbie Aloshen</a>,
head nurse of Cleveland Public Schools and nurse at Mound STEM
Elementary school, where a doctor is on hand once a week at its
MetroHealth Clinic to help kids and their parents manage chronic health
problems like asthma and diabetes.</div>
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