<div style="font-family:arial;color:black;font-size:10pt;">
<div><img style="display: block;" name="aolmail_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.411" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs160/1102261797723/img/411.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="640"></div>
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding-bottom:6px;color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background:transparent;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:25px 0px 25px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="middle" width="100%">
<table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK31" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:25px 25px 25px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" valign="top"><img style="border: 1px dashed black;" name="aolmail_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.415" alt="pencils" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs160/1102261797723/img/415.jpg" border="0" height="209" hspace="0" vspace="5" width="220"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table style="width:270px;" border="0" width="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
<td style="background:transparent;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:25px 0px 25px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="color:#76b5be;font-style:italic;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;padding:7px 25px 18px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div>September 23, 2014 - In This Issue:</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;padding:0px 25px 0px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17">Americans want rigorous teacher prep</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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45">An evaluation of evaluations</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="http://mail.aol.com/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44">Success Academy: the known knowns</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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43">Charters that serve only special needs</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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42">Ed tech and student data: vast and unregulated</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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53">When broadband goes rural</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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55">Foster care students: support the supporters</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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54">Deep in the heart of textbooks</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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&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/38771-216/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27687701&seq=0&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19">GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" valign="top" width="100%">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background-color:#989898;padding-bottom:3px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" bgcolor="#989898" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding-bottom:6px;color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17"></a><table style="display: table;" id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK17" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Americans want rigorous teacher prep</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new PDK International
and Gallup poll finds 60 percent of Americans support increasing the
rigor of admission requirements for teacher-preparation schools, reports
Allie Bidwell for U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, 80
percent support use of a board certification exam such as lawyers and
medical professionals must take before earning a license to practice. A
national board certification for teachers already exists, but is
optional, and only about 3 percent of the nation's 3 million teachers
have met requirements for it. In addition to raising requirements for
teaching, most surveyed said those training to become teachers should
spend at least one year practicing teaching under the guidance of a
certified teacher. Forty-four percent said those training to become
teachers should spend a year doing so, while another 27 percent said the
practice period should last two years. Americans also see value in
evaluating teacher performance -- primarily to help teachers improve
their ability to teach -- but there is little support for using
standardized test scores in those evaluations. This may stem from
frustration with the failures of No Child Left Behind, which
significantly increased the amount of testing in schools under the
premise that increased testing would raise student achievement. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxq-A1zB-WAvCyaOGQqjK6IZn_9PQA8-sRqjtxRRTCRvgUmAFwhCP0EKvcCeXA9eSauhx0_TA-zdJoh2xYyVhAa0xbTpKnm_HDBd7r9SmVSJCMgRmYBKa1zbqRfuAcUp4vwZ1V5kftuJLOxFezQfLVcrVTa-2fdhdARyXclsfTdv2ANc22aDZsgjJStlhUU-cm9uxEr0A-88LXVzR3SVQKeOTsaBf-_y7wnhDr4c7o784=&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK45" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>An evaluation of evaluations</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new article from
Education Next examines the design and performance of new
teacher-evaluation systems in four districts "at the forefront of the
effort to evaluate teachers meaningfully," finding ratings assigned to
teachers were sufficiently predictive of teachers' future performance to
be used by administrators for high-stakes decisions. Just a fifth of
teachers in the study districts were evaluated based on student test
scores; the other four-fifths, responsible for classes not covered by
standardized tests, were evaluated based on classroom observation,
achievement test gains for their entire school, scores from
non-standardized tests chosen and administered by each teacher, and some
form of "team spirit" rating. Classroom observations comprised between
50 and 75 percent of overall evaluation scores for teachers in
non-tested grades and subjects. Based on its analysis, the report issues
several recommendations. Teacher evaluations should include two to
three annual classroom observations, with at least one conducted by a
trained observer from outside the school; observations that make
meaningful distinctions among teachers should carry at least as much
weight as test-score gains in determining an overall score; and
importantly, districts should adjust classroom-observation scores for
background characteristics of students, which can substantially and
unfairly influence an evaluation rating. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxkieNEtrTKxcaTj4UkNKylcwPbSanIiT3OmxrXo323_F_LHzTBPlRZUek6lOxixglsmeba5GFOtt9MF82Q9LIoVKLDQvAlf0H44a92BKm_n5OpUMHXU6YK_hQ5yCU4V9BYpfWVu_LmZGzlMWfswi8X8kjVRZ6aoXU&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK44" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Success Academy: the known knowns</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">What neither Eva
Moskowitz's supporters nor detractors admit is how little we actually
know about why Success Academy (SA) students succeed, writes Paul Bruno
on the Flypaper blog of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute website. SA
students are perhaps not representative of neighborhoods that surround
the schools, since students self-select by applying; yet most student
demographic information can offer only a crude picture of advantages or
disadvantages. SA cohorts often shrink substantially; yet ten percent of
students leave particular schools annually, especially low-income,
black, and/or Hispanic students. If SAs attract and retain
high-achieving students, this could impact lower-achievers, since
students might benefit from learning alongside academically stronger
peers. But peer effects are hard to measure, and inconsistent across
contexts. We don't know how SAs prepare for testing, or how much their
teachers rely on instruction aligned with standards or tests. Nor do we
know if more class time is devoted to test prep than at other schools.
SAs self-identify as "no excuses," but we know relatively little about
their culture and practices. We don't know their instructional
approaches to math, or whether math and reading instruction is
supplemented by -- or crowds out -- instruction in other content areas.
None of these factors are mutually exclusive, and may all work together.
Given how little we know, Bruno urges caution about drawing
conclusions. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxbzRKy5DkwZp_6Jy4OWXz1YI9GtMMcKFWjjW_XgW5psfoJUDRAHIMnrbMV5a2LCZdRtUfcIAqHMPWsifDz4p0QnWK2-_xLu8SvP5X5aYQPfLi4MTbSjjL2bpAZcr1RqX0Pi5CBhv_4wQ0qQV77QtORrew8Rp5fX7yfrrqErEOHTzgzryrNd7APZyr15xMJd4F&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK43" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Charters that serve only special needs</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Dozens of charters
nationwide focus on serving students with disabilities, counter to a
long-running criticism that charters don't serve kids with special
needs, reports Arianna Prothero for Education Week. Yet these schools
also renew questions about the best educational environment for students
with disabilities: Are kids with special needs better served in a
specialized school, or in a mainstream setting with general education
students? Parents of students with disabilities often push for special
schools, but experts point to federal law and related research that
prescribe such students be integrated as much as possible with typically
developing peers. There are few data on exactly how many special
education-focused charter schools exist; one count was 100 in 2012-13.
This number is small compared to over 6,000 charter schools operating
nationally, but many predict specialized schools will gain in popularity
because they offer a tuition-free option for parents seeking such
programs. In many ways, the schools align with the choice movement:
responding to parental demand and gaps in the "education marketplace."
This choice may collide with the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, which requires students with disabilities be taught in
the "least restrictive environment" appropriate for their needs. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJx1AoX-pet3DWMI4bv__f37jyH_68_d7k9uB5wkmUDZyh9z4Fj3lMOA9CV060P7vzq0k5dEWtM8q2i3tF6tD491Qk8UkfCwgBkNbFj2AneALYsRuLtjK1aTzbTm8Xi4d8yYB-ZCyBdjlTfHcHtItfYedI8q-R7W-bBfRuwk_dDMSX741dGZQ7Mi8w25rpSVIpHCMNglFyFM5PecNpWYxA9Q42lNCIebK8w&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK42" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Ed tech and student data: vast and unregulated</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Technology companies are
collecting vast amounts of data on students -- touching every corner of
their educational lives -- with few controls on how those data are
used, reports Natasha Singer for The New York Times. Schools nationwide
have rushed to introduce everything from sophisticated online portals,
which allow students to see course assignments and correspond with
teachers, to reading apps that can record and assess a child's every
click. California will be the first state to comprehensively restrict
how this information is exploited by the growing education-technology
industry. Legislators there have passed a law prohibiting educational
sites, apps, and cloud services used by schools from selling or
disclosing personal information about students from kindergarten through
high school; from using children's data to market to them; and from
compiling dossiers on them. The law responds to growing parental concern
that sensitive information -- learning disabilities, disciplinary
problems, or family trauma -- might be disclosed or disseminated. Other
states have enacted limited restrictions, but California's are
wide-ranging. Gov. Jerry Brown has not taken a public position on the
measure. If he does not act, the bills become law at the end of this
month. Last year, sales of education-technology software for preK-12
reached $7.9 billion, according to the Software and Information Industry
Association. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJx8yHn0ncxfWzSQ0PqgZdpp_FyPVb2xtanGJ4icQa3EldNFr42FyoiyuQvpSonFRJsf93x6NUTBZ4kp6OPJRWxlwW55FT898NFZY6t4T4ISyE71wIG7NDTy_YAOc8ozID08KJAoxG7s9aORFNBLW-d-BV68diAmc2o0-jRn8rxL1RafoxCZv8RM8ioNHEPatVXoErzN6kbc3i1JytEv-t6asRuxhixMSjt&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK53" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>When broadband goes rural</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">About 70 percent of
America's elementary schools still rely on slow internet connections,
writes Nicole Dobo for The Atlantic Magazine. The federal government has
pledged financing to remedy this situation, and last year, President
Obama added funds through the ConnectEd program, promising "virtually
all" the nation's schools would have high-speed connections, as well as
teacher training and digital tools, by 2017. In a profile of this
process underway in rural Garrett County, Maryland, Dobo describes how
teachers are now using broadband to develop high-tech lessons with
familiar agricultural themes. Schools no longer limit internet use for
fear of overburdening the connection. Yet Garrett County still has very
old computers, and two of 12 district schools aren't linked, and won't
be soon. The county's new needs include teacher training, rewiring of
old buildings, and new curricular resources -- most to be paid for by
state and local funds at a time when county money is scarce. The
district planned to spend more on computers and other devices, but
recognized it lacked internal systems to support full use of new
computers, so prioritized infrastructure over devices. Its technology
grant runs out this fall, and district leaders don't yet know how
they'll pay for more classroom technology. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxa1V5AK2CkfZC-LqKguhkhFJ5oPbMuki1VXzp4pyXKkJm4DD6DWa7rBMB5GRksy4CzMxdcNS5L11qhfOR7Ot-GP413OXZB5yjstiil99-r3I0CckDpI-88rpTIdnS070dwj-OfSJSaXMprTrMaDz_FytR6JhD71IGGcxOFM7pGPg3_gDduGSiQCr-GvjOGeVFcoWPQRyDybAsWjucvyvMTA==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK55" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Foster care students: support the supporters</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">California's initiative
to give extra support to foster youth in school is proving difficult for
districts to implement, reports Susan Frey for EdSource. Under the
Local Control Funding Formula, lawmakers created a separate subgroup so
students in foster care could receive targeted services. But the school
year has begun, and the state has not provided districts with names of
foster students. Advocates also say the state offers little support -
e.g., sample programs or expert advice -- to help districts understand
the special challenges faced by the 40,000 foster youth in California.
For instance, foster youth miss school because of court hearings,
meetings with social workers and district attorneys, or court-ordered
therapy sessions. Though districts are required under the new
school-finance system to set goals and provide extra support for foster
youth, a recent change in the Local Control and Accountability Plan no
longer encourages districts to differentiate between foster youth and
other low-income youth. The ACLU reviewed 100 of 1,000 district plans
and found the vast majority lacked specific goals or services for the
foster youth subgroup, particularly at the school level. Advocates
suggest coordinating between agencies and social workers, attorneys,
counselors, foster parents, and teachers, so all are aware of problems
youth may be having and work together. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxxJ4fZsZjRUHTUMddvDZDvpF1TECGfok-q8BTjxN0juXHeGTfYtVHNId1TpJSF70YwDTgv2P0jQ7w9zjzrVaPPWl7baSDOwk6tNX8zuO8YixgfALId1yI7AkGVbz5nxEsc_hB00Ysy24eYl0EVbFDhmMFnMj01PMh-3BKiVM0u9d8uLGJ6Qo7Q-6L1UzVRDPHGFwShTE0ZrMsE_5G9EvTNw==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK54" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><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 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Deep in the heart of textbooks</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Reviews of 43 proposed
textbooks for grades 6 to 12 in Texas by the Education Fund of the Texas
Freedom Network have found extensive problems, writes Valerie Strauss
on the Answer Sheet blog in The Washington Post. Texts suggest that
Moses and Solomon inspired American democracy; that in the era of
segregation, only "sometimes" were schools for black children "lower in
quality"; and that Jews view Jesus Christ as an important prophet. Two
government textbooks include information that undermines the
Constitutional concept of separation of church and state; several world
history and geography textbooks inappropriately portray Islam and
Muslims; all world geography textbooks inaccurately downplay the role of
conquest in the spread of Christianity; one world history textbook
includes outdated -- and offensive -- anthropological categories and
racial terminology in describing African civilization; and several
government and U.S. history textbooks suffer an uncritical celebration
of the free enterprise system, ignoring legitimate problems in
capitalism and failing to include coverage of government's role in the
U.S. economic system. The state board will vote on which books to
approve in November. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxybXr8D2N-5uY1rMGpVIG3y7VbTeDL-8f2jCl7UX_Zd4PHqcWy7N1YB0bO-20tGHhXYdClJpLcVw39e4HbHDR48YShGwYHvl9kZyBOQ-VUbegsv67HqYy26a_zm8gTCUsBiR3664uEQlzwesnBpUm5dpfmB_TpWmvgeu2YSgOw1UEpE7KvUaWFzXOhX-kV2HtdXte72DBxCxHwkanWM7AbWgwYxNY6oxNWFS3f-Ix94DLy_gr4_VMMipBQ0rsEHFMqoqP2KkkDUFouYY6BEjR_RAKn4XeuRij&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background-color:#989898;padding-bottom:3px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" bgcolor="#989898" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK46"></a><table style="background-color:#ebf5f6;display: table;" id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK46" bgcolor="#ebf5f6" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:25px 25px 0px 25px;font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(240, 79, 35);" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</b></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 18px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Going for the source</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A lawsuit working its
way through the courts is striking at the core of the CTA's power: its
authority to automatically deduct hundreds of millions of dollars a year
in dues from paychecks of both members and non-members. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxV76b-fAmerUuw2zqbidXkyLvhxP96ul5nb6CIulcpqgdp4lNg4PrHYOVFFvLBLo7v1NUQawGiTdIn7f2rjeQj2Yijwpx--x8jhVTTYENdzQ1YMqcnUurPo60gptonJNj7Hy1NL1weLtnLgHUCbVCJPqpovsDomCWB_f_CrqJEHCxTNMPaUXlGN2cn7gsRBmDKWHGyJxnHMA=&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Not exactly news</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Black elementary
schoolchildren in California were chronically truant and faced
suspension from school at disproportionately high rates compared to
other students last year, according to a study that follows similar
research from the U.S. Education Department. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxdQHs2C1Ce-Hk4i5hrIXpy1EcQgvY344w3LCAXz8CTxS4xdtitZt88wsmcbqPri150Vvovq5kBQnoDfAE-KF1Hl4ZP88K7Cnbo87i9kHctH1cXe4UqBuQ4gJXvlwr_7gwXdaTHHrS6Zlx4MIK3nw5arWCykftMNEHm-Nn1jTUxVPXipQm1NuobvioXk8Vlodno5kl35uFifs=&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Another reprieve</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Seven California
districts have received a one-year extension of NCLB waivers in return
for meeting a slew of new requirements mandated by the Obama
administration. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJx30hcIjLmrxJAyRzk1HF7dxhUxng2k5i86jIXWnTMgx5KcSMRnevFQWTABftaMBLZICYPUY99DJvpWUr1TKuTs-CrikDmW61nEvaJkwvKtO37Ny9lmVkB_bTsMCrYQRjLLl2ib4MbZMkdZ0M5v2Lr18DRcS1Wa9yp&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Wait, what?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Los Angeles Unified
School District has taken possession of Pentagon military surplus that
included 61 M16 assault rifles, three grenade launchers and a
mine-resistant protective vehicle. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxgdVjGC08BGI9eI4HO7uyJsNKS8KJ9hLRakdPFsb6fd4zyo41KrBGpvUXSjFqBkZwtaD9oFZtj13M6Y22h6aBpTBjYWXXiAilVJ3rjzT5VIsUjB3TaiMxIlTwim-yuO-y-KcrScf6nfx47nX7h-H4jyayUsbqP2nLi_o5pXw2jNsJFKzZUPfTN75jnj7m_G-PwOH2IMe5LJpsBed4a8p06L0knjfyStMk&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Total wash</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">LAUSD has paid $3.75
million to settle with the vendor of a software system designed to track
attendance, grades, schedules and other student data, officials said. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxe02Io20PFQjFu-8PBTAgXc_hI_1LsZWt_E4fWYBGZCN-AnChfkKtjhEukDPlOvUp-oNTIw_d13xu2cFVo7SmriQEN5PdfZd9DcWhr71PUwSF8k5Y7S8zSd9qJ0aN1VlM9aE-4krVHsfCYylci2MX7izHfFOHsIJqo_b5OVycacrHxmMgSmZazV_blRY3kF9nQ3x-8HySmmo=&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Sounds spiffy</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The social service
organization Children's Institute Inc. is planning a new campus in Watts
designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxYoHCGnOH6BXloj3_4eUabQhWCWayv8sOqhK2mihq72U4IeNeSGpS2gBezg3OSjMeBw0FqZAfRkbdldz3hxpaxy6jr_-KmPdxeveCHTQnofI4x2ehp1Fd60bW_Z98hhPkSQI6H7v2p4QXBunzw8oGKUdGCbxcdLo6d09HmIjdrhund_UjKs2Q-DNq1wyG-G-fpIxnenF7YcF8P43SrHr4qIi-NKPqoulnGb55-pYT7PA=&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background-color:#989898;padding-bottom:3px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" bgcolor="#989898" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK56"></a><table style="background-color:#ebf5f6;display: table;" id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK56" bgcolor="#ebf5f6" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:25px 25px 0px 25px;font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(240, 79, 35);" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED </b></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 18px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>See above</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Texas may limit the sway
of a new national Advanced Placement U.S. History course and exam amid
arguments that they're rife with anti-American biases. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxZNe-Ohd40Jl9hECYDiNbVInIKVvWazMK51qzar0ZUWV82WR3Ny5hwgrDgriiXO29AyW0-Vx-b6oX2LEm7g1P9FsBvhB1-xkkcHMbbrJbQam3NKbizD76lAG7jNphQqrUVu_gNecpA11ooxYBLkk1gioqVlcQjFJufSAMCAOFSJTtHtTIBiZdOoQKmXKf6CbxM75SschqEdSt3FAAJOceT0gTdLGK53Qwkt-41glh1wfF0so4ZZpSrA==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Welcome news</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Rates of drug abuse
among young people between 12 and 17 years old dropped from almost 12
percent in 2002 to 9.5 percent in 2012, a study from the U.S. Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has found. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxKNtEPmE7O7p8UarpzQKNZ8mrA9NtFZHq-jlmNEpPsFAyA3lpC3a7dbm97tgVYBpT8ShvHW0x7p_BTPTuGLHVb_MelIhhkSTIeYhJKsIaeUGk_hwe15G6Qyuf9vTN1ejgm8Loq8cDJOzclKI6dP5btzuU0VzU9JB-J65TjBucWTHi9nz6E3vwH_fQwGsRa91I17bI_rQpW13aq11b_bX1qSL_ZGV3iaDD0TvD65i_85An3PS_LYpT_BPUIs_eAF4_1WcDkhMThkXVUy4cwmXRvaECfX2Ok6xb&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>By any other name</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A bill before Congress
aims to amend the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's
definition of "homelessness," which would help children and families
living in motels, cars, or temporarily with others to obtain needed
services. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxPl229IqxMbKfgU2cTGpagxb_pQjGPkFgklqcV82sbHLjbKzztbuvZlItMZ0A-9yKJ9OUrrS7CNbAhVbzNy9T5eSscHiTHzslk3zCX6ow0zfZ_qlL4ZvePLQL5FINfezRRLjG5qDQ7LsipMSrM8igO7ouFbecPz2iKf0mAq65OjrLy5lz24hAYMp0Ji2PLN5z_eqLMZsfWwAdgj8unbFaSFGnJkw5br-D&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Ready, aim</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Twenty Columbus, Ohio
schools, or nearly 1 in 5, now qualify for major leadership overhauls
under the state's pilot "parent-trigger" law. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxLJe5QVqVvmswInpR-yA5lNuVcqHCKcRbik_t9-9K-DShSiXyT3cze9UleZWB0LFEXzAkjpF8zqyGkGvN6HLUahacjaKU-_2HyC1vPFQH3JuHUSi2Kp3XNk-JR26YUa00CdvZXZgpkWEEb2smNquSKgIcjF3GCVIsEX3ywQB1-LvllYR1yrnoHihwKB0TSrOkTaY7M2rrEPE_vLVOTvEzP-QREBI2D47L2S9uwYT3IJpJke6CkeBW5gW1VHAZwRXWYvHeLfIZc6wyLEZUuFcx-g==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background-color:#989898;padding-bottom:3px;height:1px;line-height:1px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" bgcolor="#989898" height="1" valign="top"><img style="display: block;" alt="" src="http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" border="0" height="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19"></a>
<div><br>
<div style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><b>GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>CompareCards: FLY</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">CompareCards'
Financially Literate Youth (FLY) program is granting funds for the
school year towards financial education. Maximum award: $5,000.
Eligibility: public, private, and charter K-12 schools in the United
States. Deadline: September 26, 2014. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxPeBmvnnPn9Ifc3CwCBikPbFAe0Y-B62xR8Yro9hG3mdZ8ahgQCprRyGdzZD1gAuff-GAtlE19Zjl5IApkzqPtopeQ4eArr9p2X8DgsREhBaO7TGJzlTyug==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>GRAMMY in the Schools: Grants for High School Music Programs</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">GRAMMY Signature School
awards are given to high school music programs that are keeping music
programs alive and well despite budgets and school politics. Maximum
award: $5,500. Eligibility: public high schools in the U.S. Deadline:
October 22, 2014. <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxLNIPABJTSMEMR36DMbAQW6FEbKz2GnNOVtvZJbVArrfYeci98qmey_x8diyPqrfiWlj8Yxr6wUDsLbKc5J71RWiQyMFOh0GjiZ56sfYwJ5uyor07L363zPQbWgmoDXtgOLByHNRPYEI2geu5y1s4Z7loJftrl1eupNau37OqOMIyKl3ZmGaJ3Q==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>USA Today/Office Depot Foundation: Dream UP!</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Office Depot
Foundation Dream UP! Career Exploration Program enables middle school
students to evaluate their career interests and future career goals. The
Dream UP! Program includes: career exploration lessons in a student
workbook format, an essay challenge (aligned to the Common Core), USA
TODAY Newspapers for student research on industries and career trends,
and the opportunity for five students to win a day with a mentor to
experience their chosen career. Maximum award: winning students will
each spend one day shadowing a mentor in the field of his or her chosen
Dream career. Eligibility: U.S. residents who are full-time students of a
public or private middle school in the 50 U.S. States and District of
Columbia (excluding Puerto Rico). Deadline: February 5, 2015. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxqVMeQ1woj3rPhmFjG0HL-s9-p9Ts452pefw5qc0xrvXXFqyo6LEXwPEYNliwKp71_T_gc7DVhg5D4K6uZLLK7IaRUyWyDiuR1H5VYUsNMaHX-QRMh_rKzoos70r2THU7ypTjEDmwI6ii-2KznQgFUA==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #f04f23;"><strong>Adobe: ConnectED software grants</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">As part of the White
House's ConnectEd initiative, Adobe is offering creative tools and
teacher professional development to schools across the United States.
Maximum award: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Presenter, Adobe
Captivate, Adobe Echosign, and a range of teacher training resources.
Eligibility: public, state-operated, county-operated school, or BIA
schools at the elementary or secondary school level that receive Title I
funds. Deadline: rolling. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxOKPGkIe36a74wRCM8OHiQl-t-WJ21dHgUC4fWVAx7LDYiA6ZYOfzj5R8wjcubv19KaQloPbE_hGXI1NjmgvB1Xj7RUzTZ8EaNE-PAzJtcThKR0U3JFwFgxZJzhtc6Jr6&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></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; font-size: 12pt; color: #ee5624;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Quote of the Week:</strong></span></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;">"Every single kid in the
room was IMing their friends, or trying to fix the computer, or surfing
the Internet, while a teacher talked very loudly in the front. If we
try to stick technology in there to solve this problem without those
foundations [of human connection in the classroom], we're going to see
things go in the wrong direction." - <span style="color: #f04f23;"><strong>TFA founder Wendy Kopp at a NationSwell event,</strong></span> describing a visit to Microsoft's School of the Future in Philadelphia. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zaxca5aNesFq0h3MBiAbXDRX2UOYUlmGT_X_2TMX-Czeu0neh74GrqO4LbdSiYJxRtTya1UeS3ud2T6-pNIHR-f-j3rwQeQq0yxLBWDUQQjg17yrjKzvvUK_UMAyYPAvxGZ5KxgYB92qYWKWvujFbT7VKsxVwbE7W9yNJkog2AEZTkr7c5hO9h7gLGxkwDtrYiQZ6VbuIH-wKLOnzRzZVpn7nySBfPbmqeBUqjlq9zFvoQSvHW195g==&c=5lP7Iaz6vR4Ev8qivG3iuf-kEletRBNbRqW_6QoWP7cHQATcxo9eLg==&ch=PSwRIasCAca1pc89UxvXimq5TmUuoSWYz3cIdROjCYpUbJLKYvXdcw==">More</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>