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<div>May 13, 2014 - In This Issue:</div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17">Strengthened access for undocumented immigrants</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45">Republican voters actually like the Common Core</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44">NAEP progress? Nope</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43">Those curious 12th-grade NAEP scores</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42">Yet another test</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53">What teachers think makes them excel</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55">Gritty teachers</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54">A little oversight for the charter sector, please</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&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;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&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;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38563-111/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27629766&seq=59&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;">Strengthened access for undocumented immigrants</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>Attorney
General Eric H. Holder Jr. and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have
issued a strong warning to districts nationwide that they may not deny
enrollment to immigrant students in the country illegally, reports Julia
Preston for The New York Times. The Justice and Education Departments
jointly issued an update of guidelines published three years ago,
reminding districts they "may be in violation of federal law" if they
turn students away because the children or their parents lack
immigration papers. Officials received 17 complaints in the last three
years that led to legal action in districts. There have also been
frequent reports that schools were discouraging enrollment by demanding
certain documents. The announcement was another in a string of recent
moves by the administration to make life easier for immigrants,
including those here illegally, while broader legislation stalls in the
House of Representatives. Schools can request documents that prove
families are district residents, including phone or utility bills and
leases, but cannot require proof of legal immigration status or
state-issued identity documents, including drivers' licenses. Schools
also cannot require students to present original birth certificates to
prove their age, or deny them if they offer foreign ones, and schools
cannot require students or parents to provide Social Security numbers.</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?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VHteUzEGz1neXcG-rym6Kx9JuE1pUBUGPS0TVDaAFAviEpi1ifnqkjA0OdIZhFc09UnxjUdlWv7RmDJ4oPTWfHgE8ZeSx12CkuEOnOrCmfpShnYXsr73Hpwow0U0wFvRDGwGX9UuBPCbIR9DoWT-aPnUSeynYLYBfHCL_xYgOAL3kQBHBVv1vnSz1vokcbqipeCPIHXXMA_pGnWKtfudAKU4Jr1v5yrXhF3y1FnjpALUAoI0qv1UzufsteLpdgK1RDcsY8_knNIk=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
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<div>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #f14e23;"><strong>Republican voters actually like the Common Core</strong></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>A
new poll shows that supporting or rejecting the Common Core State
Standards might not be the political litmus test for Republican
candidates it's been made out to be, reports Allie Bidwell for U.S. News
& World Report. A survey that oversampled Republican
voters -- conducted by Republican pollster John McLaughlin on behalf of
the Collaborative for Student Success -- found that over 4 in 10 voters
had not heard of or read anything about the standards. Those not
informed included 32 percent of voters with school-age children, 34
percent of Republican primary voters, and 44 percent of swing voters,
undecided about who they're voting for in November. When participants
were given a definition ("a set of standards in math and English that
state what a child should know in both subjects by the end of each grade
of school they complete"), many who were previously uninformed said
they supported the standards. Among Republican voters, 59 percent said
they'd support the standards, while 35 percent said they'd oppose them.
McLaughlin said the poll was conducted in part because of sentiment that
many activists in the Republican Party are strongly opposed to the
Common Core, "even though it's historically been Republicans that
support higher education standards."</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?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0ViT_kmFsZp995Rx2_5O7TKPibaPsmM6O2VQ5KcFpjjJDKjgaNFkuQz9VmUQl3A_z0eWpQGBDKeSJ2bDA77PDWMRw2T_pc1VMQJChjsYwbcvu_gkPn4ucO7w4fmEeSD5a7SEFJYZh5ysdrMJ1DXIR7PtEGGn_1_fJxetL9ysIZPxAdG2KkPaSfCxcxA5LTmEStMZxWm5i0z0gAcrzvPKAlrex42xTPgSQXd1wuTv_PAdo=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">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;">NAEP progress? Nope.</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The
latest scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
indicate that American high school seniors showed no improvement in
math and reading in four years, and achievement gaps between demographic
groups have not lessened, reports Amanda Paulson for The Christian
Science Monitor. While 12th-grade math scores are at least slightly
higher than in 2005 (the earliest scores available for math), reading
scores are in fact lower than in 1992, when the reading-score trend line
begins. In 2013, 26 percent of America's 12th-graders scored at or
above "proficient" in math, meaning they can do things like determine
the measure of an angle in a three-dimensional figure and evaluate an
expression with a fractional exponent. Just 3 percent scored "advanced."
In reading, 25 percent of 12th-graders in 2013 scored below basic, and
just 37 percent scored at or above proficient. Those scoring at the
proficient level could answer questions requiring them to paraphrase an
idea from a historical speech and interpret a paragraph in such a
speech. While most subgroups improved their scores, there was little
change in the achievement gaps between white and black students, white
and Hispanic students, or male and female students. </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?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VsEP7ZElPEVDIDqaMv1Yb0c_on2nzYWZ__2CjfZiQC0SnPEuYa9SjNNL9_ihEbvxxv3zRzzL7pM93jwPyiTeDXfFTABumrB7sh6leCEMmaez84IBftWkqhL84i-jlS3iqk4H8a3mRniqhJvm05waBQcTfOmaAnuVzpzlUh4nXfN8xFK5sSnQpZSZG9LVnWEDPLHklSw9Gsd0jXRDI9XfN6t_eIwn_MRu7ztdrdstd2uw=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">More</a></div>
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<div>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span><b>Those curious 12th-grade NAEP scores</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>2013
NAEP results for 12th-graders are "woefully stagnant" and haven't
improved since 1992, when reading tests were first administered, writes
Jill Barshay for The Hechinger Report. How can there be improvements in
fourth and eighth grade scores, but not twelfth? One explanation could
be demographics. Today, there are many more minorities in twelfth grade.
The Hispanic population, which has typically scored lower, has tripled
from 7 percent of high school seniors in 1992 to 20 percent in 2013. The
white population, which has traditionally scored higher, has declined
from 74 to 58 percent in the same time period. More students are
diagnosed with a disability today (11 percent in 2013 versus 5 percent
in 1992), and more students are English language learners. Furthermore,
the high school graduation rate has jumped from 74 percent to 81
percent; the weakest students used to drop out and were not around in
12th grade to be tested, but now are. Yet when you look at students in
the top 75th and 90th percentiles, scores are also flat. High-achieving
students aren't improving, either. Indeed, when you drill down by
percentile, it's the weakest students who are showing modest
improvements. If not for their improvements, the national average would
have declined.</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?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VA37MzR_VqHYrahv8QJdfZwydJBdFd6XOXm8STLxkftr1Y2DClEATsznwCFOxHUgwwgT3mX0zoJzJ22_gcGJjbmxzfA9dHJ6nkvwcgu_zBhyz0yxYrRlX8cyQyKvwjA7Od8v4D4CvXdwbdMuzOobZG5k2t3GJUp-Z1VPXorvB9ND9PyPn_6Crhq9xA35xvJFz8c2fcRbgmhiuDsBrjYQt-BrvFh4MweImDtpLkhQPZTJS9sHYGzj9xNI6oyzp7SRhq0s31AX6Hmk=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" 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>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Yet another test</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 small but growing
number of schools and districts are participating in the OECD Test for
Schools, a voluntary assessment from the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development that gauges thinking skills and attitudes
of 15-year-olds, reports Alexander Russo for The Harvard Education
Letter. Piloted during 2012-13 at 105 U.S. schools of all types, the new
test was administered at nearly 300 schools this year. Using complex
statistical sampling methods, the test compares results of students from
an individual school to those of students in countries taking the
OECD's PISA every three years. For the Test for Schools, students
respond to two hours of test questions in reading, mathematics, and
science, and answer a 30-minute student questionnaire. The testing
requires a half-day of school and is administered by CTB/McGraw Hill.
OECD does not provide rankings, but does report results in ranges that
schools can (and do) use to rank themselves compared to other countries.
Some observers, like Finnish educator and author Pasi Sahlberg, believe
this practice is inaccurate: "You cannot really compare a school to a
system." Still, participants say the wealth of information the test
results provide is worth the risk that some schools fixate on scores
from a single test or limit follow-through to marketing. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0V-xeyaZKqYatBBzKWq5nV5Xk2ohdLmx5wCjk7Fdus9IjNHWyFt5W7CMatB3x7_hXCPWinl01yDOGdYPw1NGsHoS7EryVp0lEo6I85OfpcnQefKTg-yQciyRZ7dkMqn4tsQkZnbGt7CgFT58daft36WPoALPwKY7-qhbzEYWHXiZihcP6XNsN7XS1n_t-9s_OMGJQEaj6ZDo4=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">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>What teachers think makes them excel</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 American Institutes of Research summarizes and
discusses an exploratory survey of National and State Teachers of the
Year around professional experiences and supports they believe most
contributed to their growth and eventual excellence as a teacher. In
responses, the experiences and supports that most stood out were
high-quality pre-service clinical experiences with effective cooperating
teachers; pre-service coursework in their content area; access to
mentors and supportive principals; appropriate placements that match
training; opportunities for collaboration and reflection; and
opportunities for teacher leaders to help less-effective teachers
improve. The report's authors state that the most significant factor
they identified was the dual importance to new teachers and experienced
teachers alike of creating opportunities for currently or recently
practicing teachers to teach, mentor, and coach those new to the
profession. Respondents emphasized the importance of having access to
effective recently practicing or currently practicing teachers to guide
them at the Pre-service and Novice stages, and to a lesser extent at the
Career Stage. Among the most important contributors to ongoing growth
at the Teacher Leader Stage was the opportunity to provide this same
guidance as mentors, supervisors, instructors, or coaches.</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?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VTC9y1lzaQpuxFYmx4GsVFKSUYBPvTPZ0mcoZz4zf6c1b0oOxQanMu11EgtlgsurVFNrbVfQh-EsZuLBgnZoqERPBWEY5HrpHB5M_7qUDNI3A9hvDj0PAT1qr6EOmE5zAg_gjlykD9C7F1u23WfzZ6EH0YmQehGRXnWsmGeojzPgkZU39Ifo-dA==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">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>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Gritty teachers</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 paper from the University of Pennsylvania examines the predictive
validity of personal qualities not typically collected by districts
during the teacher-hiring process. Specifically, the authors used a
psychological framework to explore how biographical data on grit --
defined as a disposition toward perseverance and passion for long-term
goals -- explains variance in novice teachers' effectiveness and
retention. For the study, researchers collected biographical data from
novice teachers in low-income schools. Coders blind to outcomes reviewed
teacher résumés and assigned grit scores based on objective evidence of
perseverance and passion in college activities and work experience. The
authors then used grit scores to predict teacher retention through the
academic year, and among those who stayed, effectiveness measured by
students' one-year academic gains. The predictive validity of grit
scores was compared to other variables, including college GPA,
interviewer ratings of leadership experience, and demographics. The
authors conclude that grittier teachers outperformed colleagues and were
less likely to leave classrooms mid-year. No other variables in the
analysis predicted effectiveness or retention. The authors recommend
that administrators consider grit as one factor -- among many -- in
identifying promising new teachers. They offer the method for
quantifying grit from biographical data as a practical tool for
predicting success in the first few years of teaching.</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?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VQAda8zoT2R54v_8x9ICeSJi0rLItQPTyuzxI83PFqBtRemB5J1xIWAi722WByB2VtotyKo9zW3pYGoEVj37Nniqp3f0odPTQUtRDpsDVE_q5Eg4ZmA5fpqsG4LVcv0qX3r3Kw4RxoSJkljDlMPFyKejdLmej7TYJMmAXE_AVP72PU8csZFKDDg==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" 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>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A little oversight for the charter sector, please</div>
</b></span></div>
<div style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>The
Annenberg Institute for School Reform has prepared standards for
charter school accountability, devised for New York City but equally
applicable for districts nationwide. As the charter sector has expanded,
so too have the number and scale of entities that manage and/or provide
services to charters, fueled by availability of federal, state, local,
and private dollars. There has been no corresponding expansion of
oversight and accountability. The paper divides its recommendations into
categories of Equitable Access; School Climate; Governance and
Transparency; and Facilities. It recommends prohibiting the numerous
subtle and exclusionary enrollment practices currently used by charters,
such as requiring parents to sign contracts, and instituting an
Ombudsman within the Department of Education to investigate claims by
parents that children were unfairly barred from particular charters. In
addition, charters should post disciplinary policies online, and
teaching staffs should be diverse and constituted from both experienced
and novice teachers. States should require representative governance,
full transparency (for operators, governing boards, and management
corporations) and eliminate all sub-contracts for full school management
by for-profit entities. Finally, all public schools need safe and
secure buildings with space for a full range of program offerings, small
spaces for pull-out and one-on-one work with students, and adequate
libraries, science labs, and athletic facilities.</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?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VY4-P4wRbXJfsr4mymoMknBEgr7ba3EH0ium_pfKtqaKaUra3MiBZzY6h_oJXAXMIJ6Nj97cZhu-6CAyhkvbSPXErzNRfYVLulxGaOa7AMxIfuBhRHVoFbykIZgvVkjBXNog8OScfXyQ0Gb6HdJcN74WJYxolpgFEXV9D7xalpXTr8ZCdKsa_eg==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></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: #ee5624;"><strong>Cap-and-gown subsidy, among other things</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">For the first time,
California has called on districts to provide graduation attire at no
cost to students or their families if required during the diploma
ceremony. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VkRnWEDq0iD6ri-w-6sUw8T8On_OVRok_K5Enm7hPtI669MIzq9bh2cwUKk5Hj8gvoaebeUfexoNKQSg1nTFUxTXPu-GJXLWWwO_KiNY9FyDT20FDJ9hXvcIiGCtZXxAcTYoRTTJPWU5jtAehUx0ewi_Lvcu_UcbjWxPn3tJsJ3rUoEXd05VukSPoARf9PqNXajmhMhODEPaYOVswi_W9ow==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Mission accomplished</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">With nearly
three-quarters of the state's three million participating students
having completed the inaugural field test of new Common Core-aligned
assessments, early survey results show a majority of districts were
satisfied with both the online testing system itself and training and
resources for educators administering the exams. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VffII6PeuygGE3NR-JbNwSAU1LFGBpkPEtJ-g4nqAEId48i3zLrSJy-g-qa4kmPbmkshq7wduB05UXNPmAJjBLnNLGNzM8hxxwwFKtnriqobAfdoIWZkN27HiDB_q4DbmD_mbIq-9K8hgwzVc6BHE__a9tt4lR1liIMuUzBYChYDjRR0Xeh_hwUbW8GqP52dTVGpePbmKYb4=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Keep it coming</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A coalition of seven
California school districts -- including Los Angeles Unified, Long Beach
Unified, and Santa Ana Unified -- have asked the federal government to
renew a first-of-its-kind exemption to No Child Left Behind rules
granted last year. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VVVpIqP4xmuAECPC3P7IncNu8ESDuvGohZgVvIGkuDypjxYo_HTT4OMCMXWGNM43egGZWG1b40ZAm3Ick_2JI4J5UPpMv7HN2QeJo_4MtmX5Akv3NJZAb7M3PGdjKcnfLEiSL7azjkgkCVy8VRKKPhvEVAF2RKuaOLoYV2f0zeiCgJodhMrDqnmtU9JJBvz_ZbQmvYGA4i5UReDxT-nEmx9tIN6RTPSWhAWLcbPArEUo=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Great plan</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Despite an improving
economy and robust tax collections, the Los Angeles School District will
petition the state to allow larger class sizes in some of its most
under-performing schools through 2014-15. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VnSmideCngire5zUMkQwdNDLw5Qez-DzyEjCZERmwwMl8A0e7HQLhv2Hhxf-UHVThovqb5yx0-jPiylYmKbof4fyn1UMrH-iS_IMkgoeiR3JGPvM9wtxa2X1mMAP8j55vEWaR_4cLDTLpUU6-WWeb19rrDI9ybI2YfxM-cXbLVOmy4TBygT1HLjZlmZYe-yi7CeF06lNg79Q=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Dear Jerry</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Leaders of key
technology companies including Microsoft, Google, Twitter, and
Salesforce.com have written to Governor Jerry Brown, offering to partner
with the state to increase computer education in kindergarten to 12th
grade schools. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0Vi_mIRRuySYv275IxyFmYhUnEhmxiCkyCFBiMcbMMhrwuemMLAeX045Rwz77N3Vm-4wFrd8hp3BslFgVCJxmsjm4uRRBMDAQRSERulh1oQizDDfWL5b6-AGzUROc84Lg9Kfq3Smm3icla2sDsGIli-GcDdcq0Ax_TyEIOliYmZ8B635tbSO6iqdHD-mJ9p8ZWX09VSC8ZrZfpZoqo82N02-P-r62KwbTNoQBqXb0DxwCk7QMNI1eHhlISBZTrb9eo&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Obfuscatory</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">California districts are
in the process of drafting plans detailing how they intend to spend
state education dollars and so far, most documents are dense with
education jargon, acronyms, and legalese, and often don't provide a
clear picture of how districts will use state funds to improve the
academic performance of "high-needs" students. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0Vba9aID1i3HzIllQu1MI6sV89TZWKp6I4lLzDRpYVTTirt6wYDmngHJeVC7R9ye1bpWKd48hjZuH3ZIzTCQf94rCh6MQ4liTprhVYtI83TKvfN2iwWGTLPWx96zDKdrCYcJ_a3YH9l9PiIT3Qd-NbipdjarXsMW8IUQAUKyGSXT1oiKtkyiU3o-MueGl2c68r10TLtlSpcLsXnh2eSkF42-KgG63tYDnNkzNGtCdwDCE=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">More</a></div>
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<td style="background-color:#989898;padding-bottom:3px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" bgcolor="#989898" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
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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: #ee5624;"><strong>Number Three</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Former California Board
of Education President Ted Mitchell has been confirmed as under
secretary of education, the third-highest ranking official at the U.S.
Department of Education. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0V8408uSKeWc8wasnzo185TpmtEzAgvLqVG6ybF3B9o6rxqhhHz7xbRNgE6xgKnt2oEeD6HQ58nCsMUhiiXpJp-TffvCw1m-6kop7ag_vJyYhZidTzQ-OxBdWxK-Q8_1p2XZv449BqUQ3LGSHb1tU9j0EfSgsLJobiWx7OCJcSFFN-Qqbz1gwgub8XkHOMutcVOn4aUpyD8LLap_uRFnFbS_hWqMeocwJ11D8nEv42JXBnDD2zdCOPNzaCPmU-lR5P&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Please advise</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Department of
Education has declared that transgender students are protected under
Title IX, but there are questions about how that will work on campuses,
and what the legal complications might be. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0V8L16RdmfGqvXCxVLgE9JZeGuUw17k0VZQdc48NCCJjS3dVM2v3siNC48m9aOKwIoWDMdK1Wq4gVi2le9-1BaijZB7VWzjgwHh8D4vHsVGvEyWZ58nBbshlUZa4mowfnjeN9GBq56v33_MbBPQnQvyQWiiwjCd7bMO0z3SdZj3z4JgIa03SoVXZWqnEx6fkJ2xeTj0l7aTnXMhGYaWY44ajlEIHDLdX2jba-xqaxNVPomzu9SGU32qg==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Hell freezes over...</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The U.S. House of
Representatives -- in a rare show of bipartisanship -- has voted to
increase federal funding for charter schools. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VfXjTdUTBJvJSEfsH3Mf_-0nFAupnoBs008c_VgFVtcOunyY_KjT5D094OPfkfZGAgtMf4iUTedkvRo7dCo8RwoFEokA5hTCon-HCvvS4ZGpt3783ENmxyYZd_oV5GFYDk5R6d_S9CYzFx9K8p9bUfdbdRYKcvxGWNIeIjbs2EFySXLbYTuuvNUuC35nKy2h2&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>... for a worthy cause?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">An examination of
schools in 15 charter markets across the United States has exposed
nearly $100 million in losses due to fraud, waste, and abuse, according
to a new report. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VvBDjlQaDRVPOvuPZpVdpBMa3V_VlNT4rE0fG5e9N9V5Pt-oqfrQzaZ8zIjVETtt9bS3-sZMFcTYFEac8juJoBahkDcoQM_dphLwg-3Yn5tD5ANg09fEYCx-F1_lLWIeG2qtXBYFLEAFlsOU55ScMju894ROb36FQAJl5mnCokRRpCc1oBzG_s07BoLlB5lPly-85jt7C1wEyX8MFQl140gzw_r_HWBGWXvroVjDWcgXW9AkVVilMvTu1fjPEX1Cu6YUj4ah9PPw=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Vouchers advance</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Both the Florida House
and Senate have given final approval to a bill that would expand the
school voucher program and create new scholarships for special-needs
children. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VO5pBx0qfVrYp6FMvD6rFEuw5ZdSKMxFj6uxADhNZiMkVO2yC9CqEXLdWMDQfJ1IZ7SMP6jBpIYYkKa9b3mTJGTP7gR45kfWD8x-LpDDi6fmbEC7fanYvA5pA-hVlElyt3T5DYOLjikzzTh57_fCoBRJ1R-DuV8IZhOowqklTuWnXvDhDaVGkHG2wsdRQFKVtqhSyi2MY0YYKj-fRHIV5NsjOYCaII7sd&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Mildly enticing</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">North Carolina Governor
Pat McCrory has introduced the "Career Pathways for Teachers" framework,
which comes as a follow up to an announcement he made in February that
he would work to increase the base pay for North Carolina teachers to
$35,000. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VC4y3zVx6vZMsye69RMqnNs85HxKBIatlxnkmvuXTPiuYfaVoda1tTWE3JzxKObvu9xMWp5QYSK-V1x1zCUTPMJgHsGp7tAFBy-_wweDUE0xPAuE1XKeoC_g4SJHKmvOLm0DabWKmu7k9DzS9TB42JuTwyBTP4ZmjJupFnE1uoJu-d2V1uH19vQ==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Ominous trend</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Large numbers of U.S. high school students who are bullied take weapons to school, a new study finds. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VAX6FEOiycetYHBaVlYE6N6tWYC7vEV633QcW8qC4MMGeG_Lzn6ftuE5XjAjQ-Z6EZn_tvRvqSgCaVwCCYt-8KpXWmjRC7JbB1AsadVgCdNl8uFgl199CvfrtcR2Fgb13CP7PKQ5MfVvmNKNjq_YVCl69-UUq7YtNwWRGofcjGzj6eq1DLZayDWSfR8vfY2OIECaYSLRO3YCWVvWNxA5p-wLlkz7GPGB90UncfYgrToCG3Mno-XRIwVYQcmpvn5o_NZ8hvueVXW2xWNyqfKKkmtIXBws6OefwkKY_wl81CsM=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Sorry, folks</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A federal judge has
acknowledged that Florida's contentious teacher-evaluation law is
unfair, but he still ruled that there was no legal reason to overturn
it. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VPCHQZxuNCM8Wx1hHz4uuiGDnroP8v9i6NswIMvmSzEzzgG-vVUAIYVQBgsk53BlA1E6UqJSc6UmD3_fbMuhBB1KdBoqXdW8Z8LXAv1kuK3oUp8Dyvz2wwjtP8JtApr_exo47QjpkFwz1LEmH7KLZuvIGr7hl3cHCGtjeEew1i5otanhFD6zB7_ZnIJgFizX1&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>CTU says no-go to Co Co</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Chicago Teachers Union has passed a resolution saying that it opposes the Common Core State Standards. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VfGMqQCF2lrBc4QE4mvj_GLo7FGtZ70PcKfLiUl_OLTp_0tUT91ZPx5NHXheA2EXLh6Xw8VzQWmkeYf1NTLrwwnHnOUJ3d1U-UjWEK-lNjXXGr2mzAPXNvyr9Ep0h6XZNn-5Whg6x6Ij86764uiBQFNHjCpGgnq8NW4KhmeAVZctBK1hrOCICa7CgXZo5S3SFqk7JM1f_qCk=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>Texas gives it a whirl</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Texas Education
Agency has submitted a proposed teacher-evaluation system to the U.S.
Department of Education as part of the state's waiver from the mandates
of NCLB. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0V3uAmVF9J4Vk5oNA46kqumpEndEZDdQsVw_-seKQlGYiD0wdsVE-Jd_H8S78m19iyfmC7kgYTZewWZvGD3mvVnXHhdCXaHjKDVZU_bJxPd_Q8F-sLtADWn8kP4Y4DOXq34md0KFH-p3f6OBggE1zKQBFVlXShsGloWvdW3LR7of6gVL4KGWP-D2-WQ01REKoyLM2AXvKrwc4=&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><strong>If they don't teach it, it isn't happening</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Wyoming, the nation's
top coal-producing state, is the first to reject new K-12 science
standards proposed by national education groups mainly because of global
warming components. <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VuDMkM6GPg8ooLvTO_i55h7leAowROMtj-di-K1qWXGP193F-cQa2Kv6jfv9EIiq_0vQb1T0tDRm15OEu4vTOGifGd9KaabBiXTeVQcl0jEqyPwpJLZ0EwcSiQ52VZdlMvrzzJ18H74ZSgPQsfCPNCE93AY7cqKFDuK2pKfnl90vI4dC2sw8MZqUxVPoIDykLEzIyuvBFpsicGJQMHiondsDNODc7hkV0Ry6Q3lfzx2a_rc7LM6ldPd_5E54ugs4iQVLssSI_eAnE2rHg67KQJuobQcfogXc5MT093ySZMLcESdNrWK9B5w==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==" 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>GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</b></div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0VgrskLjZI05wetLANbEaXinbKt_QgysLYZnhXIY-zz42bI71PVQakQ5oSEtolCxxmLz5-UNoUk_G2423Mf-Gx74dbB7BLNjiRx8_G9y-sIpAfMtyTLvMf69-xxsCxVavFsRezYWZOMRIdNSIJMu-nzg==&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">NCTM: PreK-6 Classroom Research Grants</a><br>
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics PreK-6 Classroom Research
Grants support and encourage classroom-based research in precollege
mathematics education in collaboration with college or university
mathematics educators. The research must be a significant collaborative
effort involving a college or university mathematics educator (a
mathematics education researcher or a teacher of mathematics learning,
teaching, or curriculum) and one or more PreK-6 classroom teachers. The
proposal may include, but is not restricted to, research on curriculum
development and implementation, involvement of at-risk or minority
students, students' thinking about a particular mathematics concept or
set of concepts, connection of mathematics to other disciplines, focused
learning and teaching of mathematics with embedded use of technology
(any acquisition of equipment must support the proposed plan but not be
the primary focus of the grant), and innovative assessment or evaluation
strategies. Maximum award: $6,000. Eligibility: classroom teachers
currently teaching mathematics at the grades PreK-6 level who are
current (as of October 15, 2014) NCTM members or who teach in a school
that (as of October 15, 2014) has a NCTM PreK-8 school membership.
Deadline: November 7, 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(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2f5DBUP2rI2O39nCeWIyUSS8c1hKT25EPF4Y1N1NUsmmoORotFjwjMe6zDFaA7zJLV2RbcWmK6BLTWBypIBbYUDx0Cg0fk3YG-QuJ_W2yTP-3iu3UVUgptjyq2_CXpOo0wQ-Yz_zND5n1B9XkLBYuIrO6U8NLMrc1rditS6SSCtn&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">NSTA: Wendell G. Mohling Outstanding Aerospace Educator Award</a><br>
The Wendell G. Mohling Outstanding Aerospace Educator Award recognizes
excellence in the field of aerospace education. The recipient of the
award will be honored during the Awards Banquet and the Aerospace
Educators Luncheon at the annual NSTA Conference. Maximum award: $3,000,
and $2,000 in expenses to attend NSTA's National Conference.
Eligibility: educators in informal education settings (e.g., museums,
government, science centers). Individuals must be nominated for this
award; self-nominations accepted. Deadline: November 30, 2014. </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>QUOTE OF THE WEEK:</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">''Even in a place like
North Dakota, where the students aren't particularly diverse relative to
the rest of the country, it's important for our social fabric, for our
sense as a nation, that students are engaging with people who think,
talk and act differently than them but can also be just as effective at
raising student achievement in the classroom." -- <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(238, 86, 36); text-decoration: none;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017abYkWWcuNN3mzwkexyDNGkOv2ADlbOPb2cOjpmrIMhM0hCL6_VE2ZQtRPxZgQ0V4k0nJmkKyU8nGSI5-S1ek0AioSLM1q_VP6gh-dyRNy5Heqjxt13pwcgrHWLv1k_lGmPDB5qAVY7qMWnNd_0atiRis7oJBmcu_VuWCnqH8XpMlUNH__Y_l4nX9XS-wpj0bgV9SKqC5qlSQtsjm-FnQnI106thpPh-5Eo7GB6le-g8WjO1YGAFfbVUa_pBu-TLkFbXjWudZ5pDnlJgCEI1Z56N2CUUWfa9clZDAhDAhOUHJZwrC1I6XyVt_uXBoY0f&c=O_FVVoJWPz0aQv4Ud_WI3wyZcaKmONdr_eATL4ISqKhvkXWfdRT4fA==&ch=XUEEaXRiJLX9DGooTTrmRtpRlbi82BZlKkJBVL6-mK7lJTPsv3zdAQ==">Ulrich Boser</a>,
author of a report from the Center for American Progress and the
National Education Association that calls attention to the fact that
half the students attending public schools are minorities, yet fewer
than 1 in 5 of their teachers is nonwhite.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>