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<div><b><span>The LAEP NewsBlast will be taking off Thanksgiving Week. Enjoy the holiday, and we'll see you </span><span>December 2</span><span>.</span></b></div>
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<div>November 18, 2014 - In This Issue:</div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17">New guidance around teacher-quality equity</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45">L.A.'s children of color are shortchanged</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;border-bottom:2px dotted #8c8d8d;border-color:#8c8d8d;padding:7px 0px 7px 0px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK44">Countering 'churn and burn'</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK43">NYC schools need a comprehensive strategy</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK42">Trusting teachers to lead</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53">Newark controversy travels</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK55">Best practices in charter closure</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK54">Tripped up by VAM</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK46">BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK56">BRIEFLY NOTED</a></div>
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<div><a style="color:#ee5624;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;font-size:10pt;" shape="rect" href="https://mail.aol.com/38848-916/cs_com-6/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=NewMail&uid=27713100&seq=39&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received&sortDir=descending#aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK19">GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES</a></div>
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<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK17"></a><table style="display: table;" id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK17" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 9px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>New guidance around teacher-quality equity</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Obama administration
is directing all states to ensure that students have equal access to
high-quality teachers, with a sharp focus on schools with high
proportions of the poor and racial minorities, reports Motoko Rich in
The New York Times. In a letter, state superintendents were told they
must have plans by next June to comply with existing federal law
requiring "poor and minority children are not taught at higher rates
than other children by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field
teachers." The Education Department will send each state data collected
by the department's Office for Civil Rights showing rates of teacher
experience, certification, absenteeism, and salary by school, as well as
student access to taxpayer-funded preschool and advanced courses in
math and science. The administration is also urging states to look at
teacher evaluations to determine whether those who receive lower ratings
are disproportionately assigned to schools with high <span>numbers</span> of
racial minorities and students in poverty. Still, states must only
ensure that teachers are equitably distributed based on experience and
credentials, and education advocates say this could limit improvements
in the quality of instruction. In a rare show of agreement with the
Obama administration, Randi Weingarten, president of the American
Federation of Teachers, welcomed the measure. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd8i35L2aN6cd8fIUoxCPv40Dz7rcBWpHYHUkc-fvDZeczb7hRquH-C0ml0ECN_fP7Zpku_MeHWhGetm9c4xKnXKMAIOPkfQ6KPWmy16bex7MHHv14z923e4iD8EiDGEA5co1HDUiH7MkrM3tnCP-AQPjv7xfE3QCw0HDnCzRvngNJRbGspaRa0-3JyMqiNsCWFe779ojUDPIsoZ8c7_Ydmq_0stZRtFw4-EC8jSKCAJSuAgkQfxHYo5SjmmVoPuUYES6MeJz5eij-W9RrwmWGBw==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<span><a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd-QbDLOeoh5wS9rR-RQrrwZK56gpcavCGgqlAF04F-0YLG868_uR7XzEqTElvOzkCkjFpF8V_aFQSXyt5waChWIyGHZ8kWcBXD4HJQ84Qu43lq8Aezwl4NvJVWXRoMk044kNXFM6PKdfXsqmiCWD5d79Ej9zwxw3n1vSq5guAJYJP_MkOQpE0csUocA18seUwg2xLOmYIXNC0Cw8ruWZ5Dsk0jpX369BvpFG7_g14-KMFzuYxKu-YFPoPrQzap0bQ9MVL8Cr893o=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">Related:</a></span><br>
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<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK45"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK45" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 9px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>L.A.'s children of color are shortchanged</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new working paper from
the National Bureau of Education Research suggests schools in Los
Angeles put children of color in the classrooms of less-skilled and
-experienced teachers, reports Max Ehrenfreund for The Washington Post.
Skill differences are enough to move the average black, Hispanic, or
Asian student several percentiles lower on standardized tests. Harvard
University's Thomas Kane, one of the paper's authors, made these results
public while testifying in Vergara v. California, explaining how
contracts can affect where the best teachers work, since teaching in an
impoverished neighborhood is more challenging, and Los Angeles teachers
with seniority have a contractual right to transfer to a post of their
choice. Also, black and Latino families move more frequently, and as a
result, schools must hire new, inexperienced teachers late in the
summer when children unexpectedly fill classrooms. It's unclear
whether these patterns hold nationally. A widely cited study by
economists from Harvard and Columbia concerning New York City did not
conclude that white students there got better teachers. Yet researchers
generally agree that across the country, white students are likely
concentrated in the best teachers' classrooms. Recent federal notices to
states offer few specifics about attracting talented teachers to work
where talents are needed most. Like many economists, Kane feels skilled
teachers in disadvantaged neighborhoods should receive bonuses; however,
identifying "the best" teachers poses additional questions. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdtC2w7dDmmCQx_5w3Wuq9FUfaDsH2B_sEpRMIwBkI_DVB93zrfHAHkNab0D5i8SzYxjiGPEf8Heqma5Qy3vKw15AQVXZdBt85UIymaQR02Z3yZSjQBz4BUWJg_IFo2oNqeYmJ3kmOEApobaiKl6UUCqRbwE-Ms2e3kQp_PUSYcE283TU36HA9tLJvxrPY4-zNAOcoB_EYGywDreZ2QYtd4TzoyFQqTRkikQXp0lBtgLFiJcAbRaVoEZh79G0a_UeeVaxU3rApB4U=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Countering 'churn and burn'</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Since the no-excuses
movement began in the 1990s, its schools have had a reputation for
teachers who are young, idealistic, white, and available to families
around the clock -- until they leave, writes Sara Neufeld for The
Atlantic. Some are ready to have children of their own or more lucrative
careers; others are just fried. The dynamic has been criticized for
depriving students of stable adult relationships and creating mistrust
in minority neighborhoods, so a new focus from charter networks is
sustainability. For instance, YES Prep Schools in Houston connects
students with summer camps, wilderness expeditions, and international
travel, and lets teachers have a summer break. KIPP is offering on-site
daycare for teachers in some locations. Uncommon Schools has a heavy
emphasis on teacher training and mentoring, and new teachers get a
lighter class load. Diversity initiatives by networks are also
attracting more minority teacher candidates. Yet the predicament that
no-excuses schools wrestle with is universal in low-income schools: Kids
who are behind need time and attention to catch up. At regular public
schools, where scheduling is dictated by union contracts, turnover in
impoverished neighborhoods is just as high: Uncommon Schools' turnover
is comparable to the national urban average, with about 20 percent of
teachers leaving annually. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdDPQZydEwEYBhwlG--wjsAnyKJnC7Sjir7Yo_1xSKsVugV-ZqPi35ojrnFtTWRrf2Pm6DUVlh1q9yYuvxLsitXcgoeKZrRD_Yt5aQ8zDH-58DmPztWZd3U-L27kzy-dANjBOrOlcqAOGKJ-3sVgNSXy31H5L1GI9Ypp6Dk6phhnLjxPimGH1f-c9Cl2yl_mhjALeiVyLkB2eIYVZIMkkfNA==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>NYC schools need a comprehensive strategy</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">In a letter to The New
York Times responding to an editorial that questioned Mayor de Blasio's
investment in community schools, Martin Blank of the Coalition for
Community Schools and Mary Kingston Roche of the Institute for
Educational Leadership say it's time for a more sophisticated education
strategy than shuttering schools. Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, chronic
absenteeism in New York's elementary schools stayed at 19 percent even
after an interagency task force tackled the matter. New York City needs a
comprehensive strategy for health, violence, trauma, and other issues
that keep children out of school or failing inside school. Community
schools employ coordinated partnerships with experienced,
community-based organizations selected by schools and parents, freeing
principals to support teachers; community partners work with teachers to
offer enriching learning opportunities. In a separate letter, Dan
Fuller of Communities in Schools disagrees with The Times's contention
that the community-schools model has had uneven results. Independent
studies by Child Trends found that community schools deliver a model of
integrated student supports that increase graduation and decrease
dropout rates. But both implementation and investment are important.
Community schools can work in New York if the political will exists to
support this proven model. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdhOy0Xv4a7J_3o_ZZ4hbfb6NUMxKB8WtAcpC66CVgEzCs2Jm81e2ldzXVRwlq08jAXTBNJU3JAyFCHBp1Ea7O8eV1vZoLA_Ei5fizqBNbBGsBRcbYaFyLUQHnW76EzO4tnjj_Y5o3UBjLffoySyHi78P0m0UKdFJzrZyUPFeFEvDe6S8sILZkfYQQlqR2eWfe3Zd34fiCVWpKwbjxiAJY7C5Ugt7zJRwkK5e8U1wKz49YRRDPzTvj1gJeIbTXiKGpQNbvvFHtAJ4pGt62meOqBg==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Trusting teachers to lead</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A new book, Trusting
Teachers with School Success, indicates that teachers given authority to
make decisions influencing school success create cultures consistent
with high-performing organizations, write Kim Farris-Berg and Kristoffer
Kohl in Education Week. LAUSD's Social Justice Humanitas Academy (9-12)
and UCLA Community School (K-12) have established collaborative
leadership cultures driven by shared purpose: functioning as learners,
taking risks, assessing performance, and establishing close ties with
communities. Elect-to-Work agreements ensure teacher quality, since
teachers require themselves to participate in professional development
over the summer, longer work hours, and activities engaging students and
families. Teacher teams clearly establish collective responsibility for
school management, and institute highly personalized, culturally
relevant learning environments. UCLA Community School students have
individualized learning plans that build on strengths. At Social Justice
Humanitas Academy, teachers design thematic units across disciplines
that present subjects as an organic whole. Teachers in both schools
build collaboration into their management and teaching structures.
Finally, both measure student and school success innovatively: creating,
testing, and refining assessment processes and tools that reflect how
their students learn and that consider students' cultural backgrounds. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdBckIrT8fzsibdJRAE7IHxg44jd0Szx6ijqv0-k9pVG0Hh-kW_aL_m86OOv6uRdOJtL8B1CJengn3EZMJOXdB38sOS6C7ryzKCtFGk2-zAh5zB50aTjgXGw6Cl9lt-CunZ18C6CLwXIOJBWOPXNiGzmZyihusj27fpsNJvcmy0V7e0uVak4OLh0p5uEzgeV0_0UWSPj8ykj8HDh_HpjyA4YRDa18b1MzpkpJhSd9YI6-Tx6us4raTN5zl19xie90G&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
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<a name="aolmail_LETTER.BLOCK53"></a><table id="aolmail_content_LETTER.BLOCK53" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#454545;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 9px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Newark controversy travels</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Cami Anderson,
superintendent of Newark, New Jersey, came recently to D.C. to present
at the American Enterprise Institute, but her talk turned dramatic when a
busload of angry Newark residents arrived, reports Lyndsey Layton for
The Washington Post. The incident at AEI is indicative of brawls roiling
Newark since last year, when Anderson rolled out "One Newark," a plan
to relocate some schools, convert others to charters, and re-engineer
still more by replacing all principals and teachers. The plan has been
targeted by lawsuits, a federal complaint with the U.S. Department of
Education, and boycotts. It was a central factor in last spring's
mayoral race, which elected the outspoken (and anti-Anderson) Ras
Baraka. One Newark, which took effect this September, erased boundaries
by allowing students to win seats at traditional schools or charters
through a single lottery, similar to systems in D.C. and New Orleans.
This afforded choice among schools to many, but also sent thousands to
new schools in unfamiliar neighborhoods, posing logistical challenges
and, some say, disrupting neighborhood stability. Anderson also cut
1,000 jobs from the 8,000-employee district payroll, enraging unions.
Anderson maintains that parents at re-engineered schools regularly thank
her, and points to the 10,000 Newark families on charter waiting lists
as evidence that parents want better schools. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd42LDOyk0AVO6wYpUAXk_a2fgWPJQTBlNgPCXzPHCdGgX0W1OPcySnpfAafki9hUmEwZVkoNMRfZEwWhDg0ko5qbDaCoukPDIu7PKwGJmteRdpnjS65VkuZGA7BhEnEZ8ZNDItsN_Ig-9z5xH1tu2miWuTdOkvoL7dBC2LgsrvAvWoN1A4xJay6ni6IHu8Ga__fzHPZgf8xtIGuC29zazcanthMwqfDRCucm6gnBp0H-sZJPC7FEQkRIeC-8wB9OrAjPZJi271a2XnKIIwZJE6o54zte6IC5RzE7tUOWqXPrA30A1W7kzqhWccp2_fKBZg2c3aVgRr6y2cSVjlAGLbg==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==" shape="rect">More</a></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Best practices in charter closure</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The charter sector has
long run on the premise that if certain schools don't perform, they'll
be shut down -- the so-called "charter bargain," writes Arianna Prothero
for Education Week. Though closure rates for charters nationally
fluctuate, data from the National Association of Charter School
Authorizers indicate the rate has stabilized. For the most part,
charters are closed for poor academic performance and/or financial
reasons. Of the 15.7 percent of charter contracts up for renewal in
2012-13, 11.6 percent of those were denied. For charters outside their
renewal period, 1.9 percent closed. Still, as the movement matures, it
increasingly faces the messy reality of school closure. Indianapolis is
among several charter authorizers pioneering best practices for the
process. These entail prescribed steps like templated letters, talking
points, and answers to frequently asked questions for parents. Some
authorizers address the inevitable scramble for parents when charters
close by recruiting new operators to open shop in the same facility. But
the best strategy, experienced authorizers say, is adhering to solid
vetting practices during the charter-application process -- saying "no"
at the beginning, rather than the end. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd0czhyQ3ZoosqWLicH7Xa4qHR_bif3npoFbxcpe51a-9Evnfs5jYjDrETpxMrMk_7nvhlug0aDH91HI_gLdOoX9lhCHM2vDNFIa-BasnSwS18Hp_V1kIq36Z4KhXaHNORRQiBE0xIskAmbTH1fCBqIYxWBqjm1LC-rwJLODFxur_UN24i_mDoBA==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 14pt; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Tripped up by VAM</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Cowen Institute for
Education has retracted one of its bigger reports that had relayed
strong results for students and schools in New Orleans, reports Anya
Kamenetz for NPR. The institute has refused to explain its retraction,
saying only that the methodology, and not underlying data, was flawed.
The report attempted to use value-added modeling, currently "the golden
fleece for anyone questing after what's really working in education,"
Kamenetz says, but it turns out that value-added modeling, done
properly, is "really, really hard." Whereas growth measurements like
standardized tests address where a student started and how far she has
come, value-added models ask: How does that growth reflect back on the
teacher or school? The math behind value-added modeling is complex, such
that the American Statistical Association has issued a statement urging
caution, especially in high-stakes conditions. Value-added models
require high-level statistical expertise; are based on standardized test
scores, a limited source of information; measure correlation, not
causation, and thus don't necessarily indicate if an improvement or
decline is due to school, teacher, or other factor; and are unstable --
small changes in tests or assumptions can produce widely varying
rankings. The Cowen Institute's experience is a cautionary tale for
education researchers and those who make decisions based on their
findings. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd0JlKZOD-IYtOvXUqyZzipb_B4OxhRfWjPCokG9H4QIF5I_ClLpl6G5AIBxPH2b7t84K__3HtWiEyqTOu7o69JxjC8wpZjevTmaYX7FZu1BAsDH-Jdhm_45x9uqo8XquPwlqBFBCIw1Xu5e7t3HyA12fLr152lL1SU7qOPZuGipHK3-jWaV649n3lCZyapYu2SX0KEUS4DngPeD1VktCe1g==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
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<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA</b></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 18px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Logistical snags</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">As district officials
work to comply with the California legislature's annual wave of
education laws, two health-related mandates are causing concern. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdkHU0NA497NkuPXCu0yO903I5eEG5LBrceN4YTL8o5C1K_W19veMklji_sfiAiP_-HNum9kGlWoSSQmGGJhWADg481guRpWJS1gjhLhkq7p_UlspKZwTISUZ3C1KgETiU07RdJ8dsImCmYH_7H89ZPnKM9MhcSSd3mHUoEwhRMgvuKas-TGOQoXIDrKN__ljFNobP-q-3klE=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Trigger time</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Los Angeles Unified
Superintendent Ramon Cortines will now allow parents to petition for
sweeping changes in their failing schools, reversing the district's
prior position on parent-trigger laws. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdKTMhqdVj6h0yqK-7w3qFI7O8XNy6XXEoh8ELbE3MEf96UDL024hvk45DZRgJS3qVMSBrVpUZBXfjub8BGRycBRcj1EAIYuMgmpUZJ57s5CnrqQVJCjgwylILgmFoxNCVknYkBIpnT2pK7J91t5aihtRXjXwseyIEChCo6Lx2vHGZtXDSBwJhiIN4bxVJPvYE&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
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<div><b>BRIEFLY NOTED </b></div>
</td></tr><tr><td style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt;padding:8px 25px 18px 25px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" valign="top">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee5624;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Another win for preschool</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A Seattle ballot measure
enacting a $58 million property-tax levy for city-subsidized preschool
won big in the mid-term election. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdRWKAeiADTMFpBgi-Sh_BGmRIWL8fXoe95cAE-UXQ82nN3hSROpiksdD6P2tRQoqYImf-IneU09eEUw7PhBd28H7yy3Pqnj6IzHRLlfjR_qzN8P4OzpdIrBYl_xe5YEPoSFo2V8paBAt6-j5sXMw1uiDTFkFFmYVDMpLt4nO5ShY2W6orsX_Ge7qIsr2pLXuW62yUEweBcq_kTXnNPgo_KDbaSM0UWZgJZjVmWvOzV_A=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Overdue</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">In a legal decision that
could redefine South Carolina's public education system, the S.C.
Supreme Court has ruled that the state has failed in its duty to provide
what it says is a "minimally adequate" education to children in the
state's poorest districts. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd6hsoF7_WfAN6VLNk9C7uRK6ZnXcvUZFSUIh-Cz8Jvs4MceHQispqBn8KjL1-gNPJv6vVSaV2BnSycsRFJS4rQJgmLADvtQMLYduspQw0pKQxHHSs0BzwGmCY1o3BJzZ0J_Y3CLhyfMoT7gnGtL6fHZOgHPJTK-yZRE4cTfsRrXlPSoCA-Uy4B49OYeMG7kOcvYFiq2YufzFe0IL7rdD7E284pUOm8Hxt&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Sane move</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Kentucky Department
of Education is receiving $8.1 million through a five-year federal grant
to help teachers, schools, and communities recognize and respond to
mental health problems in youth. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdf_exgMHj2pjp6FkFLzSqxxEhzAziYDiLUZjK4fTvFHDCdzQBZFPpSHqfGTyfIxAa1UJ7ePumQCUliocHS2uCkRAL_eR7ltDMkM9KdbGkXGfcWDNFhGJS8tG5J5whY00PQfpoBkiymeqhRO_gmabVQ1KB6wyHseQs--pHIXkueCcpgMvPZ4HHOMe5c4JbqMybiFIzO2N3Z8_LpiYXk6oHpRc6GRC0mZrJ&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Recalculation</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Given the choice for the first time, a majority of Iowa districts are now counting the school year in hours, not days. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd1hhmfcbLFku0z2sOeYf2-5y-sY1IBOtYwpaB4ITsjy8APVKz3usFnuJGn5ewyF3p9jEWwjRuObGQMexSEdxqoGN6dwv-AoKjZbEZRuZYWUAzwJa0-rrUqrGncCInkIEC0VwBAmbl7eeXQVzRiZWb6Lz2xPmLCbF79NJZNIVeyZOmhugUMFzF3w==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>They can do better</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Pennsylvania districts,
parents, an organization representing small and rural school systems,
and the state NAACP have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Tom Corbett, state
education officials, and legislative leaders, saying Pennsylvania fails
to uphold its constitutional obligation to educate children adequately.
<a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdPeAuqeULMtAjmPDiaQor2SoyA8P8WcIktQ1yLESfM_T3OuxO_s7bcU2SdisZ8esrkNw8FFfqjywH49S3r6qvNdX9aa65Scnx16PX5_rbkOcD7zEjZyhd1Puj7a3hAsr8npywzzCA7p5EOyWVMQwjQK00vWqR6eiYqYXaW-MrQJDJRU252t-zu-PbSQTYcdYIkvA6NlmGYcBQ4oUrsBeZOrP8Pl1sF-UBYjamML2UR-XmvUXSEH-AAw==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Good luck</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Miami-Dade County
schools has launched an ambitious program to get portable, digital
devices into the hands of all 350,000 students in the district -- part
of a state mandate to bring more technology into classrooms. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdw-NPiMj6Mvf6REEVixmWkmoQN8RTCpv2D5FpA-epI8oGG4-6bjmEWTbRkuGzKdaAImdYms6kWz7GBuaEhUlnOyj2dZDqLjZPct_nm1UxzIaxGVWJNnmGlQ7GWXXhS4uilc7yt6sPGiwXOv3o1HpWIcy3arhkv8w0_et42h4q_H2tfqW5EaG3jw0hDZYnnrj4pu8x9_FV3N8=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Too soft?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Roughly 60 percent of
4,662 eligible New York City teachers were approved for tenure this
year, somewhat higher than last year's approval rate of 53 percent but
enough to prompt debate about whether Mayor Bill de Blasio was
adequately tough on teachers. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd8LdF5soUbG983T7RMlVuxnsqI1SiWRbhcEtjinJuZ9afKN95E04EXwp7PTAv0YGLA_FlMTWHm7-nEd2r9wH7lWaHrULbvZxvVCI4WzUTUDC-Q0Gzx4w-kX3t4f6EAbqtbBf1Zy7pbpETET-SV0WYXWF0tAp_5vYyofcY7p6uShUUUCLK2HmNtnrIf3hHzBQoubOM9VB0pQo=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>A goal, but no consequences</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">After at first refusing
to file state-mandated goals for subject areas linked to new Common Core
tests, the Portland Public Schools Board in Oregon has voted to set
targets at 100 percent student proficiency. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdygUpakuJxhCmOqSG87fTB6bcqugOKuTLZLXQNHDzBq4FwqiX-SpCkEcaUJIrGd3QvmnQTCyzgA0eJN7XTi82SJXRD3Xemlv9RLKz_tHs7fK4Ur3QWlL33NP9Th8zM4kLnISisaYdPJi6S5_ZlNop-mNaiZwExb4TlUipLoQ8w0NU8L4LqO7KwdOag64wlDwoCeLmXnei2kJ1rf0kn_sOYqG9d0acfOh5&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Foot out the door</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Kevin Huffman will depart his <span>position</span> as Tennessee commissioner of education, Gov. Bill Haslam has announced. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibda3kdS1KElNPSHO8ofvgY4bxz0A5y-nQeiIU_FYg2-w0_rUFjHilu1k56uHdcbXlgl1IfHg3rTcMQ8rjC0ug41D5YPfqMlaO9C2u0Ir7saOtqJRM0_TRFWdOf6i_fAMq5zGQUqelN5NdmGSqWggKNqEQPqwIUopLAedy6vp7L_1lMnBesj7OgVx9FpQTl5apABfbKQD15BnaSOGTD1E5Wd6av91d0npTAR24X1DP-8eg=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #ee4a06;"><strong>Funding suit stands</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A Denver trial court has
rejected the state of Colorado's request to dismiss a lawsuit that has
major implications for how much money districts get from the state. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibd0fsZQHUbmSBS_Yaz1ZFr_Oz2ITVAPGcPaGZ_cbiPDGf4WKGauwkXojmmwZvUqP4JGpmW6eXp0l_rQLvuIc5JNoLnYjcTynXHnN3wjhnLAy9djr-SEkybc6HnqUV4kUcc0xmgfmYjNT9Hf8U50aXQoH5YqudsqIXAOQTJzRcCxxOVRA0HOyB5KlCHiIaeYryu_bF6ZqGxpar9H4Qh-t9k1Q1HGxPY_jIY&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
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<div><br>
<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>
</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: #ee4a06;"><strong>National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The National Arts and
Humanities Youth Program Award is the nation's highest honor for
out-of-school arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity
of America's young people, particularly those from underserved
communities. This award recognizes and supports excellence in programs
that open new pathways to learning, self-discovery, and achievement.
Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: Programs initiated by museums,
libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts
centers, community service organizations, schools, businesses, and
eligible government entities. Deadline: February 2, 2015.</div>
<a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdpobAYXfJ-qMht9dFZxHoqQPP0gpPiNAG2B6JHEWGoWlA_GdfG-NlPn9vSW1MddreCvVup2j4E4bmioND1tKX7Ke3KKxi-BmDmPYUn5427sM=&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">I<span style="color: #ee4a06;"><strong>nnovation Generation: Christopher Columbus Awards</strong></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Christopher Columbus
Awards Program combines science and technology with community
problem-solving. Students work in teams with the help of an adult coach
to identify an issue they care about and, using science and technology,
work with experts, conduct research, and put their ideas to the test to
develop an innovative solution. Maximum award: the $25,000 Foundation
Community Grant and an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World to
attend the program's National Championship Week, plus a U.S. Savings
Bond of $2,000 for each student team member. Eligibility:
middle-school-age (sixth, seventh, and eighth grade) children; teams do
not need to be affiliated with a school to enter. Deadline: February 2,
2015. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4nNvu6AGu_zrMGfxu-uko-0xEVLx0MLsiVRiI9nqXKp_MRI7n6D-wG5Yjy6jVHi92LiOssyXo5c8jCz8z1wj1uBpesNNJvJza76xyaNibH2NRJGi1fB1Q6g2Vt8RF_hDNzg6bst3qONv&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">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; color: #ff6600; font-size: 12pt;"><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;">"This is the proverbial
perfect storm of testing that has hit not only Florida but all the
states. This is too much, too far, too fast, and it threatens the fabric
of real accountability." <span style="color: #ee4a06;"><strong>-- Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Schools and 2014 national superintendent of the year,</strong></span> regarding rampant standardized testing of students. <a style="color: rgb(238, 74, 6); text-decoration: underline;" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ShjvhComYYIrttCI2zy36hjHRE-RcFWHys24xblpUInuRjkN6yqc4sQtl5dz4ibdxvFIxDVIgW8dFv_FUrlUYuC1QwMDND8U6KHxpn6aMM5NrT2M5sNhEBUa27druykG77yT9K9r2hWzGcCtwu76JDrBlWvfSVEv3wG1AkMSoQ0nWieuRuVWV10vvbytxCw2s8C5V3LZt_fDWwHaRPGBUSNVfTMW7gv-TOBsbxfZIcQImX2_gsfQwnwv4NMzfg_7apiXOQ9LMbvS7Q2gMBm-FNAHp47vufcVTIp4pz-S74BQ3pvwz_UQRQ==&c=KwxnrYHJ9900Q7uEbF-jxQ_h_KUFt_gslvrbAz9KoKgTwzKMBFbKTA==&ch=JqGdFCN3qRn6LVOPwYOFT1q-n72Pud04KOK05EqtzNN07AsgeqNdgw==">More</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>