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<div>November 4, 2014 - In This Issue:</div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17">The unions' dilemma</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="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45">What Tuck versus Torlakson is actually about</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="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44">SIG: Kind of a bust</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43">The many costs of principal churn</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42">Moving the hiring process from subjective to effective</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53">Making teacher leadership count</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55">Needed: My Sister's Keeper</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54">The sorry state of special ed for incarcerated Mississippi youth</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK46">BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK56">BRIEFLY NOTED</a></div>

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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38815-816/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27707010&seq=7&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19">GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</a></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>The unions' dilemma</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The failure of national 
teachers' unions to lead reform flows from the difference between what 
they are versus what they'd like others to think they are, writes Mike 
Antonucci on the Education Next website. This difference generates two 
messages, one internal and one external, but in today's world, where 
anyone with a phone or internet access can play reporter, the messages 
overlap and contradict. Unions face an environment in which enemies are 
emboldened, allies are deserting, and activists are questioning the 
leadership. One faction, existing in both national unions, wants to man 
the barricades, fight over every inch of territory, and take no 
prisoners. Karen Lewis of the Chicago Teachers Union, Alex Caputo-Pearl 
of United Teachers Los Angeles, Bob Peterson of the Milwaukee Teachers' 
Education Association, and Barbara Madeloni of the Massachusetts 
Teachers Association fall in this group. The other, establishment 
faction includes leadership of both unions, which must somehow co-opt 
the militant message without alienating the education world or general 
public. None of this addresses the fact that union adherence to a 
mission designed for the 1960s has a cautionary precedent: The 
International Brotherhood of Teamsters was a massive political and 
social force in the 1950s and 1960s. It still exists and can deliver PAC
 money and campaign workers, but no one worries about its power and 
influence anymore. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYG_FYW-8InkrfiJka6CGe5mrLnfnjZVKLHJPw2xd-NnMTygt6Oxh0xWuzuJ0bmYkXtchg7wvixeReZCBRetxQEalx4n5-miqYBfFeTDvyJRkOHD3wqkv3KTp4YtlMrEAezwQunvx08Edqv3_qGkqomw==&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>What Tuck versus Torlakson is actually about</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Interest groups rarely 
pour millions into races for offices with little real power, but the 
campaign for California superintendent of public instruction has 
spending likely to hit $25 million, reports Stephanie Simon for 
Politico.com. The race has become symbolic of internal struggles in the 
Democratic Party and a test of waning teachers-union power. The 
incumbent, Democrat Tom Torlakson, is a former teacher and veteran 
legislator backed by traditional constituencies: public-sector unions, 
environmentalists, reproductive-rights groups, and the party apparatus. 
The California Teachers Association (CTA) has put $7 million behind him.
 His challenger, former charter executive and Democrat Marshall Tuck, 
has been endorsed by every major newspaper in the state and by a 
bipartisan array of billionaires, including William Bloomfield Jr., 
Alice Walton, and Michael Bloomberg. California is one of the few 
remaining states where teacher unions have major clout in the 
legislature. Analysts say the CTA must propel Torlakson back into office
 or risk being seen as weak. Tuck fully supports collective bargaining 
rights but aims to abolish seniority-based layoffs, and would like to 
double or quadruple the years teachers must work before getting tenure. 
He has also proclaimed the state Democratic Party is too beholden to the
 CTA, which has seven lobbyists in Sacramento and has spent $170 million
 on campaigns in California since 2000. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYlkdABocuhklkWNic0C_0giLgPyj-0tFqd_5afNjVhXdzr5FJCFHJGC7Z863yTE9PNhOiAVhaoz_VfnlLWrm5ZJYQmZXCz0JdCzvmoDuIhI6wuj9ern3d6ul7RZfoQIneezmbd3e9k8yoDv-j0RevCZUlDKL33h_N_IizQWizMdBhCXXa4OBbpry2gxPGS-uX-iLlAydsYwANJygHcQb91L9mTGt9bnCq&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>


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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><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=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYfbsh9K830WD1yJY6Dv-RlGvKBjCIuTIycJRhbg7UndItQ2Plg2VYgCRwcG6SRh61MC40J-ycF-TEl73vSCdtURvMid0zo-mk8MonODw0453waE_DwsWd-F1d6V3Npg9xB4UZ8H5MLOFvcDU56NsfvYCD6RAzNuQIErPmNlnrL7XyIp-35XGGIgRWXrgJ_58WAfmnuExEhQIANT0n9kMzttXUQNoNnZG50TLoFREOdFuJp4iz1jUpzkfAdJQ7FwPf&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">Related:</a></span></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>SIG: Kind of a bust</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new brief by the 
Institute of Education Sciences reports that no schools it surveyed 
employing either "turnaround" -- which calls for firing the principal 
and half the staff -- or "transformation" -- which calls for an array of
 strategies, including extended learning time and performance pay for 
educators -- under the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program did 
everything they were encouraged to do. More than 96 percent of schools 
in the survey undertook practices such as using data to inform 
instruction, using technology to bolster teaching and learning, and 
giving educators time to collaborate. However, just a quarter of schools
 used teacher-evaluation results to inform compensation, and less than 
24 percent had autonomy over issues like budgeting, length of the school
 year, hiring, or discipline. The least popular intervention was extra 
compensation to attract turnaround principals, which only 7 percent of 
schools attempted. SIG as a whole posted mediocre results: Two thirds of
 participating schools improved, some only marginally, after two years 
in the program; another third slid backwards. Poor implementation of the
 models could be at fault, but a 2012 GAO report also found that SIG 
money was pumped out too quickly for schools, districts, and states to 
carefully plan how to use the funds. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYAlEkqWZoWA2t6npIjYRBOKnNsZ_6mslAH4ULmkLavkf9iagpJ_MaiWy6_ZYxGan0ssGwtbmp140KpGfn5Xg4u_F3_UUNrAHr89j7qBpIL_ewxDvM81R7nZG5dMB-lioHZL1ROlGmQjRfxMKbtxslKhHG1eh5Kn0pOtMX2Sq7v-v2YXK07KJfpZCU49uvn_MbRp5XWYYy19bLL3NSwDN9z-d0l9SJoB_pHunYH-e0szkht0Gg-ITx9OvE3VlVVoyBWRxEk-gnzAwF-AafTr06KyHrx5vTBh-32BApUchrMcHdZwn1eIhHBqoLJWPx6FSxyFfu5gtz6LVTbTGnBRbhFt41XJj8TcoaZvZWveR5JDg0XYjvkvXwSG0mxuVCpS7h3MU_K8rhFF8g3hbEQ1kJug==&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>The many costs of principal churn</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new report from the 
School Leaders Network indicates that schools, students, and teachers 
bear significant, unnecessary costs from principal churn because little 
is done to offer principals reasonable support after their second 
year. The report highlights critical education resources, disruptions to
 classrooms, and weakened student-learning opportunities that occur 
because principals leave jobs at a rate higher than nearly all other 
white-collar professions. Research shows that a minimal reduction in 
principal-turnover rates could save districts $163 million annually. 
Keeping the same school leaders in place for years has positive effects 
on student achievement, particularly at high-poverty schools, since 
principals constitute ΒΌ of total school influence affecting student 
outcomes. The negative effects of high principal turnover are evident a 
year after a vacancy, and it can take the next principal up to three 
years to regain positive momentum in math and English language arts 
performance. Moreover, it takes an average of five years to put a vision
 in place, improve teaching staff, and fully implement policies and 
practices that positively impact a school's performance. The report 
calls upon decision-makers and funders to value and prioritize principal
 retention as much as principal pipeline development. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYyItMkO7IWOY3Iojkj0T5bv5DfIHEuqvDp9LDduGPY-IUWS7HuW4fg-uH4aFq3DOC9CMGyQLOnEUKwzYQhwhe93A1Vb21v5MS2wmqO4jbY_vKkGkzepvT69rUU-kIv_h8zq0YuL6uEp5ifOpjFzCh3hgQ5RBhMb_Yrxf24c34rfgvF2o-76gikVh8QLaaehps&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Moving the hiring process from subjective to effective</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new paper from the 
Center for Education & Data Research evaluates hiring tools used by 
the Spokane Public Schools (SPS) to predict teacher-applicant 
value-added scores, absence behavior, and attrition rates. The study 
encompassed all applicants, both hired and rejected, and found that 
those hired had more effective value-added scores, as well as tending to
 be less absent or likely to quit. The SPS hiring process has four 
stages: acceptance of applications; a 21-point pre-screening by Human 
Resources; a 60-point screening by principals; and an in-person 
interview. Screening scores on the two rubrics had strong correlation to
 positive characteristics, though had stronger relationships with some 
subcomponents than others. Scores on the 21-point rubric, which included
 the subcomponents of Experience, Depth of Skills, and Recommendations, 
had a positive but insignificant relationship to teacher effectiveness 
in math and reading. On the 60-point rubric, the subcomponent of 
Classroom Management had large effects on student outcomes for math and 
reading. Training, Flexibility, and Instructional Skills also 
significantly impacted math. Certificate and Education subcomponents had
 little impact. For the 60-point rubric, predictive power was 
centralized in the components of Experience, Classroom Management, 
Flexibility, and Instructional Skills; Interpersonal Skills and 
Preferred Qualifications predicted significantly less. The SPS 
screenings validate that this type of guidance on interpreting 
applications is an improvement on the ad-hoc hiring processes typically 
seen in schools. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgY4WNbgzSu80rYVZs0P0Mt0QJGXrVVcjKPdKkv93KGDdGwEPFxPpAIRK2hUbSDS4HWcTJxgVRWmnXPQHsXe7jZOvXXNX5aJ9ue0q2x9m7_ouzpPFOxbzt-sEcbeBN6sgg8jZZ-7l_EvEGwMbZylqWEJq46twurWRv-p61RmF9e3sQ=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Making teacher leadership count</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new paper from the 
Aspen Institute offers concrete strategies to districts for maximizing 
the potential of highly effective teachers to influence colleagues, 
shift school culture, and advance teaching, learning, and student 
achievement. Currently, districts across America are investing in new 
career pathways for their best teachers as a reward and retention 
strategy, but often do so without regard for impact these teachers could
 have or how the initiative can reinforce and strengthen other reforms. 
As a result, these programs have yet to stem attrition or improve 
achievement in any consistent or widespread fashion. The paper cites 
several examples of effective teacher leadership initiatives at the 
state, district, and school levels, including programs in Tennessee, 
Chicago, the District of Columbia, and Denver, among others, and 
indicates that these have several commonalities: they are aligned with 
key school priorities rather than just used to recognize successful 
educators; they are predicated on strong and well-defined systems to 
identify effective educators; they are built on a broad, 
well-communicated vision of longterm and leading indicators of success; 
and they redistribute responsibility in ways that make the principal job
 more manageable. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYVvd3zpKfFflk2Y5MdiG4-xI4t26-e-F9WiBj2N8iomMwhyXnwVanKbKwKdqyqWuftk_Nwbhc_s5Sh1Wp1f292ruP8cvNg9igAOn-jrIF4Y_jBRsck_KWSs-iOnVCZQuzePToD2ItWsytqIX9KrWq57IHOksyvb6G5i4wIUmzZcVCDHCb4ns43aN9F35AH7bD&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Needed: My Sister's Keeper</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new report from the 
National Women's Law Center looks at the significant barriers that 
African American girls face to educational attainment, including lack of
 quality educational opportunities; pervasive racial and gender 
stereotypes; discriminatory discipline practices; high rates of exposure
 to sexual harassment and violence; juvenile-justice system involvement;
 and lack of support if pregnant or parenting while still in school. In 
almost all states, the high school graduation rate for African American 
girls is significantly below that of white girls and the national 
average for all girls, and African American girls are behind on a range 
of academic measures related to college readiness. The report urges 
educators, school leaders, community leaders, advocates, policymakers, 
and philanthropic organizations to take action to advance the success of
 African American girls, complementing the important ongoing work to 
improve educational outcomes for boys and men of color. It calls for 
targeted philanthropic funding domestically that is aimed toward 
providing social services, support systems, and programs that address 
the needs of all African American girls, especially the most vulnerable 
-- those who are low-income, in the child welfare system, victims of 
child sex trafficking, struggling to complete school, or in the 
juvenile-justice system. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgY96lmJ8SeW3uBlbrHkIECcQbMep6byXisZ5UC_t5-vPoX1bwV_zbbtpKTwml9cLEQZOgN_Mc8ylTqBZROC8EQvNSBRXYAHabodN2VxkkOLm-rBB6S3Dvq0_1lamvMRe9_FSqG_7cJwV5TR61qbIs68UR1a01EDFzJER2BXDjxpOqC4a8ZDj2neVmLvmId1gyAdOXwJIz0HqXprqTqZ0jLqIyhLy_06lu0&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ff6600;"><strong>The sorry state of special ed for incarcerated Mississippi youth</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Each year, thousands of 
Mississippi teens cycle through the justice system, report Sarah 
Butrymowicz and Jackie Mader for The Hechinger Report. Incarcerated 
juveniles have the same educational rights as those outside -- five 
hours of instruction daily, including special education --yet many who 
need help most aren't getting it: students already academically behind, 
whose early encounters with the justice system only increase likelihood 
they'll drop out or become incarcerated adults. Legally mandated 
services are rarely provided, despite a 2010 federal survey that found 
30 percent of youth in custody have a diagnosed learning disability -- 
six times the general population. The Mississippi Department of 
Education budgets $1 million annually for educating juveniles in 15 
detention centers, and in 2011-12 spent an additional $844,000 in 
federal money to educate minors in juvenile and adult facilities. Yet 
the Mississippi Department of Education and the Office of Public Safety 
both thought the other agency tracked special education numbers in state
 centers, when asked. (The Mississippi Department of Education plans to 
track those data going forward.) And though the Department of Public 
Safety is tasked with monitoring the centers, districts are directly 
responsible for education. Legal action by the Southern Poverty Law 
Center around general conditions and abuse has forced several center 
closures to date, adding to the lack of clarity. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgY1TftI-q8TWRIoCgkfacoPUvgIC2ajUvoW2TzBUgqj8n-M6aoHJx8C0FwXBpIgJL275YiBoVOuzPIRskEYcmpqBnDDWYjooH414Um6Akge_ibplo56FxZMHkhLjjHoQ6IS-T-4DOAobdZpPStVtfF6uD_SBWbGbUWSVzAkx1RnB0b51d3_XzPyl1U4ql3yv4mhZxP-6uHNiKQ985uSYaQd8qpFp_T7s6GhHaMwTu83bk=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>

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<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</b></div>

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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Faring poorly</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A biannual report by 
Children Now shows that kids across 58 counties in California are faring
 poorly overall when it comes to education, health, and socio-economic 
outcomes. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYFv6X_mw40YQt23VK0KDSsM2wf-YWtjWIS0RGgteTsEYzxYvOi6ZcP3xKxBKT_VBMYSZ5LGS74ly3G4pFreC1lUoMmp5DyRazXeBS87jRSsbuCpBAMGLihhxKUwpxlRaVGlOLPUeRYwI4n6-bMNhAhVh8nSQshOK9u8N1-HI0WD3Xr2u6erG1OyTNxunba-Yoezznm2HYMRbrBRIcydMUHQX69Z-0zC16-YS1JAXxpvg=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Problems looming</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">California officials 
have identified 304 schools that will have difficulty offering online 
statewide tests scheduled in the spring unless their internet capacity 
is improved.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgY67uaACvMEkim3sv41M4NBg8vIE4ceI80SuRv9YsERM0g7Z3Eb3qrPsAjEY4WMn_y0wXa0DlAUpw1JAgvPFq8vI2vqosZ2Bqd3OVoKTllOXv2Nbe_0y6mnxng4c-6T0fFHboG52LWBCStX1mc4lYPd8HsW_MKWlH_f-kO4wd3uKZ3x2E2JkmhdQ0y9ABRACm7rd5O4_VzImo=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>New cutoff</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">For the first time since
 the state enacted kindergarten legislation in 1891, California children
 must be 5 years old by Sept. 1 to enroll in kindergarten.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYnBVbY2gFfFirRZBMFA7IthzpUVpIkVawtM-H2We6u5AiPsNFaqvE_NXGdtT8L-P3TovV0S_ChRTueKcWtEn0wFDdcCJt043BTe6IXkBbaDY0ZPvQlTLNvTnAfHs9df8Fgw4rc-u59LsqnaOGrKB_UJyMO-1M9dBQXp4dgAC65YULW4fMv92wIDaYQ_oApJrOXVLh3cigrBw=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>It never ends</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The new $130 million 
MiSiS student data system, blamed for student scheduling chaos at some 
Los Angeles Unified campuses earlier this school year, is now turning 
out student transcripts with incorrect information on grade-point 
averages, classes taken, and class rankings.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYYagFqIa5AY1ysQ0oD4OY1tit4TTwO3YTtR9VYYfyrsevTTGMVB6iZu3QjUxqKQzL46JjzcIlkAK_mARqULdpQfzbD4razStKY2aaPCg148umosfcK2fMzCHzrk2LLrWeNEVmaCwsdeLX0CwiDPXb34YWl1z6TwYAuYEoZGYnZwV4CplxbqEPwhEj9AkOVDvwdVC_anSjbZfYW7diMw0bRggqLRvqRAXKXkbSojlIfvM=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>On the bright side, they have internet</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">With the departure of 
John Deasy, the future of the Los Angeles School District's 
controversial one-to-one technology program hangs in uncertainty.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYElItpjKC6TsUDBAQWsXDKYqINKqzAW03sTWatkVKiqeve41wcT5h_Qoj6hQp7ebUai98Ow-1P18JXHzPOaXbIv0njvLfGdgCKa5SlNcsRfN7c2LJZeFu1iphFW5p-0booyxdID-z_ui2B9jis6bJSJ3PctgaVLC_i-vkZaQ4YmvAQK4F-Qw3YrA-Kt0RliXMpW5_fj4GKVLndW_B4a_2IH0UOsFJNG9O_xLowSvEECo=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></span></div>

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 <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" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
 <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>
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 </td>
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 </tbody></table><a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK56"></a><table style="background-color:#ebf5f6;display: table;" id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK56" bgcolor="#ebf5f6" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:25px 25px 0px 25px;font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);" 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: #ff6600;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Little surprise</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Seventy-six percent of 
U.S. public school teachers react positively to the primary goal of the 
Common Core -- to have all states use the same set of academic standards
 for reading, writing, and math in grades K-12 -- but this positivity 
fades around using computerized tests to measure student performance (27
 percent) and linking those test scores to teacher evaluations (9 
percent). <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYKL28f4D7vf5IUOmd3iM6Dj0ellw2crqyr2SjBvIJ9jIyViOC--Z9bbOLLfRd0EB0GBo4MmLQhFFf9zBUdtJfZjU6TJQ3CQHrF6MMzWMTSXdmMbTu5VcYR5wEtvsiOlWZwY9ALEV0W858lX6CZFT6ZMBeXH_8tZ_FlaO8R95vXeSxi7VGMXItM2ujvC7bV8Ctidi0p1VucSs=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Further dissent</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A coalition of groups --
 including the AASA, the American Youth Policy Forum, and the National 
Opportunity to Learn Campaign -- with support from the two national 
teachers' unions, is calling for a different take on school 
accountability that reduces annual testing and includes a broader mix of
 school outcomes.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgY2INiJXZ2JGyqE2Cj3u-qva6VuPl2YeBJ2HQp5-EAu8o3bC0uOIHPKELSxTCb3p3iuehgMEgEoiIZmnJqgr24IXsb-k6HxGd7m9Ht5e02I4mG2ZpPruxbfrhAq7WNAFXhKWaWK8cjuRqwoXVtqYG-oc25VAla6uFIhK0d4oXJU0WRPB4Ef91UykS14OTUPBBFzLPhnz1yvW_dy7HCDncqXVDi3IT3yudyjliQIJ8oJvFsFzcUVHHxN0QbrjBAHlMBKtJ4g5vv5Cic1Hdw_QuoOfKih5XToEfX6aA95vVSd1ZZnqs18My1g4kWR2MfHlAkLQPXSskE5yXioGtpNDKqP35CyEuAp80GmHjcs-XC04rJiqX8MhatXSQ8IsnGuXhAjs-x5OpT_4c=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Not amused</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Teachers, parents, and union leaders gathered in front of TIME magazine headquarters to protest the publication's latest cover.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYoj4_mj_3r_y_63McLap2OJiAVu27OXYQdVvGPrUEC4dWMvabtxuh0WbPqIf3b9H57ojR70kxR_M96MbMQaZv465t4uSUytjRXLfifBUubnSdIifE5rFtPVihpIZxiTFvOfFNLFlNOnLoyk1og1OtJWXu5tPBY7Ompm1cAhyIOM9iilLPpsZ2B3X7hvD3OFpYZKKaJuqG5DgrOtbYqJ1d0eJd6uWA3CWwXoj-2jJVqfYUhAilAICmDxOk9ZgeNhDv&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Smart move</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Arkansas lawmakers are recommending an increase of almost $1,800 in base pay for new teachers.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYNAKiLjKwaWnxnVyysCnY697XAndepc1VCQCLpxb_GV7EC2yEKNFKR2NDvMELuwzXErbOiY9_e8o08HzpiszfXYape1fHLHZNPEJ1hnE2aokZRyuBjXW8vANAYjtJjYMXHuIZWYPgwTx2l-7fN8dIMx27e3Znsy95lrGAYEsCcKyW2oO7uWuVkhzcbPHqLoMg_G3yQbMuSMl5_4Nt1vo7RkEwfY_ol7w-dx20ftOhsfw=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Reshuffle</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A West Virginia 
commission has recommended shifting some of the counties' managerial 
duties to the state's eight Regional Education Service Agencies to allow
 counties to better focus on student achievement.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYa4UkXzfFGoXeAxyM0q8HnojSe8FBOd-IaxSTyuStten2CBRQNkAT09qNmJhChdbCa98JIxaG6w_NVCbV9KT7sCmNJcq0jXWNNc324LcjutuBgyJDMMFIFY4WOmwcdw49fsF5I8EheB6f6erg9-UfBZZ9FDYDXzX7iJ4GT3Wi7LciONlG1-wbf58qA0Ra5gPuMRaRk9_KAAKgeoQXYNwoySQXEqhoBJRd&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Oh, no you don't</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Federal education 
officials have blocked a Kansas plan to let high-schoolers skip state 
mathematics and English tests and instead focus on college entrance 
exams and career-oriented tests.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYhj3dStRHuiDRq6b-sA1Xm12nIwwehCb0D9lUZE-koe1v8A8KfzhJouJlqzPioWq23SLBk4r1_cWHbFRTUkkiF2_7SLqvD3O0EZJhirflLe4F5sXIO_OioY51hIbNRfAay5zldHGPYPvR_jcF4GOM4UZbsCzr9O3QCrXDWoii6RY-bbFv3PHSbLJwO9jmalx-aWWP2UgFImxlzprxWBQeFA==&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Hmmmmn</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The American Federation of Teachers has spent almost $450,000 on the Jefferson Parish School Board elections in Louisiana.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYqCFVVS96zBFjepK2wEzPOFZgL-Ky7kVxJPi-kFS7eQg6QTonJ90x8dShCVDoKSBxjutL9j0410lPs9W76h3kLtlgTe_v85o9N2Xurpu6EQ2aLGgL106ZAcDlLhP1otFq3sxf0Nx8r-O6X7Td5Hprkcr3xm80V01l2hYRSjE0VGwkmSoi2FzosuOM3EU9EB9x-G36BbNRrYQ=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>They agree</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Fourteen public 
education advocates and two organizations filed an amicus brief in 
support of the attorney general's motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging 
that the District of Columbia has failed to provide equal funding to 
charter and traditional schools in accordance with the law.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYXFhYR8lD_Y9R5byu9pNDW5OCl4YaIymevdNjoSjcf6rlKiLA5k19rL_n3lfruCoRqPKkp_A4KzAiupTunHV3ezYVp8YBbi3XmPOV242FDqsmS_mFmfZ4ggOypNymmbUV647tDLnp3BgngH05ijs4NBNw59167JTKTO7zkX2SgUhdnOF2M8HMgsq86bOvK7iIQnXXff-ttlm-vx23RCsFONfDsMGfHKOnhF_GLeKoxPc0woLsx-UwdxihUJo9CH77R9zsvP_smivqjAehZmbUOsIJjuisl6IpR3XMO1U-aRHaS2NxBNZcUALeRowH1we01aKhN2jk_JO4g1uQZAQ9k4upMqMhHZFZZ9lng1TgIY8=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></span></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Stirrings of trouble</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The New York City 
comptroller has announced plans to audit the Success Academy charter 
network, as well as three other charter schools, setting the stage for a
 possible legal fight with the schools and their advocates.<span> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYrpbIsylcaC0p9cKNrspgjWJplxOtlfTBW8VBBnDU5608KAFN_H0gKPcm_SaL_8YrJDYi2oFVS-x-zbQa23PfEAvV5bw0VTqHCcO3LDwHOpF6ANG48kC_Fxxc4y75xn_9c_7-34f_qbY26lOirMeco0Bdp973SD6-ucquLPSdL22_MECOmYTBAmKYmDOCiONkxTzlob3A7o78e6uPJDMReSFYM5Kleid3CrkMvZ2ZiYKXuC7v-Lxz1MjyH0I8RvYpSYzFzQYc_uWIs51YeHLpNQ==&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==" shape="rect">More</a></span></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 style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><b>GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</b></span></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>U.S. Dept. of State: Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Distinguished 
Fulbright Awards in Teaching program sends highly accomplished primary 
and secondary teachers from the U.S. abroad and brings international 
teachers to the U.S for a three to six month long program.  Maximum 
award: Program costs such as tuition, room and board, and transportation
 are covered by the grant; participants will receive a maintenance 
allowance designed to assist with the costs of food and lodging during 
the program. Distinguished Teachers will also have the opportunity to 
apply for professional development funds to support development and 
research, or cover the expenses of attending a conference or workshop 
related to their fields of teaching expertise. Eligibility (for U.S. 
applicants): U.S. citizens who are employed full-time at an accredited 
school in the U.S. or its territories, hold a Master's degree (or be 
enrolled in a Master's program at the time the grant begins), and are in
 at least the fifth year of full-time teaching. Deadline: November 5, 
2014. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE6Qx8_5jLNwlkmPvPYx942LIAAA3RwRxJHtmDRlfuOyIBdbhHKc_uwkwiMJ520T5LFysxVlA29CfzGKBOkjqvAERM3RzR9OzMiiqWpmcA7DFCibaVX94lH3vduMLMMqnizOCbLCo44Qy&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>


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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>NSTA/PASCO: STEM Educator Awards</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The National Science 
Teachers Association PASCO STEM Educator awards recognize excellence and
 innovation in the field of STEM education at the elementary, middle 
school, and high school levels. Maximum award: $1,000 to cover travel 
expenses to attend the NSTA national conference and be part of a STEM 
share-a-thon workshop; a $500 monetary gift; a $5,000 certificate for 
PASCO scientific products; and recognition during the Awards Banquet at 
the NSTA national conference. Eligibility: K-12 STEM educators with a 
minimum of 3 years teaching experience in the STEM fields, who implement
 innovative inquiry-based, technology-infused STEM programs. Deadline: 
November 30, 2014. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE3gLe7NUXk9DeJTR6_6cqbxFGl_aIk8sUMkwSNQ0KbhCeYP4qKhd8txC2SPm9JLaPgojHJyQUb-_tG4-7gqBFQwJFkyVh0mGzUlFN3jXpreBqv7e54scIS2yo8HQD4RusAdXPBJ3gNJuNYGJf9niUp7DoyjL2aGJM7Z75e5BJZvD&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>


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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;">NSTA: Ron Mardigian Memorial Biotechnology Explorer Award</div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The National Science 
Teachers Association Ron Mardigian Memorial Biotechnology Explorer Award
 recognizes an outstanding high school teacher who has made 
biotechnology learning accessible to the classroom. Maximum award: 
$1,000 towards expenses to attend the NSTA National Conference; $750 in 
Bio-Rad products; and recognition at the National Conference Awards 
Banquet. Eligibility: high school teachers. Deadline: November 30, 2014.
 <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE3gLe7NUXk9DeYPrIzgh67-dTyKZNXq7ERvX6LqCuNKCS7EBlF1c12pq2tWC4WjlccVrlGf2I9u0nRtdxZCc-Tce-eI1e_LtRSIDG3IF89nR2CLaXpRPRShFlJ4BXgwxa3UeOs6G2PtpWe9kIYu-FcVDoXUgLe_6hLn2DVGZgsCSEWmkLr6Ff78=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>


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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Vernier: Engineering Contest.</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">To recognize creative 
teaching, Vernier Software & Technology is sponsoring a contest for 
high school and college teachers. Maximum award: $1,000 in cash, $3,000 
in Vernier technology, and $1,500 toward expenses to attend the 2014 
ASEE conference in New Orleans. Eligibility: teachers in schools serving
 grades K-12, as well as post- secondary undergraduate college 
departments are eligible. Deadline: January 15, 2015. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE6Qx8_5jLNwlkPPOGoWTCuwL-nPvveYiddjwYPZ-oCs4qU_kXOggsGHtxYYmnjP1QDzmS7E-bndGDUj50mgmWLqqVIXUb9MVP_6yQ1mNVvw3ourGVMo8PUL1Lm-RzT-Vwyj-P992AW2kswrECIqZWi4=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>


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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600;"><strong>Fund for Teachers: Grants</strong></div>


<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Fund for Teachers 
provides funds for direct grants to teachers to support summer learning 
opportunities of their own design. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: 
teachers who work with students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, 
with a minimum of three years teaching experience, full-time, spending 
at least 50 percent of the time in the classroom at the time grants are 
approved and made. Deadline: varies by state. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE43Xm6DxaZgfIKV6LDS80cqJ7AvnentqlafskVeBbpwhRc8HbrYv96IhioFO1p54Ri1KyOvdLCYlaXUjlFQIZ1bexGGiwjMkEMhO-_D-WWZUvYskNq2XRCgJFQvrCUxDShRwDUvMOYP8I90Kkhnc55s=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></div>


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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ff6600; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Quote of the Week:</strong></span></div>


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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">"The cover was 
unmistakable: teachers need to be smashed, and that tech millionaires 
had a way to do that, and that's just dead wrong. We said the article 
was by and large balanced; in fact the article suggests that what the 
Silicon Valley techies were doing wasn't supported by evidence." <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>- Randi Weingarten, regarding the AFT's protest of TIME Magazine's latest cover. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Y3hkyfpKpwtVPG7lhRBDo4RV_nCx4BmsCx7Qg7OSw5i3m0ah_-AqE-HcgxXwKtgYPeySfAEKKXNMY4CrPamN_jOiR3IGJZ63PKPqBMUL20T1vOwhnfvNSrpTYUbLtue70lkM-vobZvAW6uRcGTkzJRUw-7t0z8g3zm1DFX0616RPn2JMUWINly82a4HhmcV6ji23ntiYl9lhlU5VZ7R6QDBDOIbqHnndnJsyxLbZJWllFgFghJlox3zZ5NVgBVUzaZhmtbKoQT8=&c=ZSRtWg9lvluKHKwJOrd-SyG8Lbb45rTtFDGqcSqlqND2ZPaofg0wfg==&ch=fcMoiRpL3BrqLaGgJjmrshYbK2dAVDKj3IJsWKTZGiASO5PpfK41LQ==">More</a></strong></span></div>

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