November, 2008
From the Middle: Algebra in the 8th Grade: The Debate Rages
From The Middle
Diane McMillan
Associate Director
Gates Foundation Shifts Focus
The Gates Foundation has announced a major shift in its educational strategy plans. Once known for its extensive support of small schools, the Gates Foundation has not be satisfied with the scalability of these schools.
While many of the small schools started with Gates Foundation support remain “pockets of excellence”, there have not been enough promising small schools to make the kind of large-scale impact on educational reform that the Foundation had hoped.
The Foundation will place new emphasis on:
College Readiness for High School Students
Achieve Launches Math Documents in Support of Challenging Math
Documents Explain the importance of a Challenging High School Mathematics Curriculum
As states implement the American Diploma Project (ADP) policy agenda, parents, educators and others often have concerns about whether these policies are the right ones and whether it's fair to expect all students to meet the same rigorous graduation requirements.
Bill Gets Tough With Michigan's Failing Schools
BY CHASTITY PRATT DAWSEY • FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER
• November 21, 2008
The leaders of schools that chronically fail to meet federal
standards would have to give up control of those schools for five
straight years under a bill introduced Wednesday in Lansing.
Michigan Ranks Second in U.S. for Online Learning
Two years after Michigan gained national attention as the first
state in the nation to require online learning as a requirement for
high school graduation, the state now is being recognized as second in
the nation for its online learning policy and practice.
“In a world that demands knowledge workers, we are giving our
students and our state a competitive advantage when it comes to
preparing for the 21st century economy,” said Governor Jennifer
Granholm. “This national ranking reinforces Michigan’s vision for
innovation and our commitment to use leading-edge delivery methods to
ensure our students are ready for higher education and today’s
workplace.”
Funds Sliced, Teacher Sells Ads on Tests
Money helps pay for printing costs after budget cuts
11:40 a.m. November 22, 2008
RANCHO BERNARDO — Kevin Change said it
was strange the first time he saw an advertisement across the bottom of
his calculus test. But now he and his classmates look for them.
“It's really interesting to see what it is each time,” said Change, 16, a junior at Rancho Bernardo High School.
Some are pithy one-liners, hawking the names of local businesses:
“Brace Yourself for a Great Semester! Braces by Henry, Stephen P. Henry
D.M.D.”
Bill Package Alters College Financial Aid
Legislation introduced in the House, but that will likely be
a topic for debate in the next session, would eliminate several targeted
financial aid programs in favor of a blanket income tax credit for
college-related costs.
Sponsored by Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith
(D-Salem Twp.), the bill package in its introduced form would raise the income
tax rate from 4.35 to 4.9 percent in order to offset the refundable income tax
credits awarded to taxpayers for tuition and fees paid at state universities
and community colleges minus any federal scholarship assistance a student
received, including state advance tuition payment programs.
Three States Take on High School Reform Efforts
High School Reform is on every state's agenda. As states look to reinvent high schools and middle schools that currently look much like the schools of 100 years ago, states are proposing drastic reforms. Here's a report on the reform efforts of three states.
Motivating America's Students
Three States Hoping Bold School Reforms Will Lead to Positive Changes in Education
Imagine if students could choose to leave high school as early as age
16 not to drop out, but because they're ready for college or career
training.
Online Scheduling
As I prepare to enter my second attempt at the high school scheduling process, please provide some feedback for online scheduling software.
In an attempt to reduce schedule changes and a smooth start to the school year for students, we would like to empower students and parents in the scheduling process. Online scheduling would achieve this for several reasons. Student take responsibility for their choices, time windows opened and closed by technology are concrete, demonstrates forward thinking and practice, students are tech savvy, frees counselor time for working with more complex issues, and most importantly it would be fair and consistent.
Has anyone purchased any of the Curriculum Matrix kits from International Center for Leadership in Education?
Interested in knowing if the information received has been helpful and worth the $295.00 cost per kit.
Working with the Bullied Child
Feature Article
Working with the Bullied Child
Research has revealed common characteristics and profiles among students who are repeatedly bullied. One group is referred to as passive (a.k.a. submissive) victims, another as provocative victims. Clarifying the behaviors of a student who is repeatedly bullied can lead to strategies that reduce victimization.
Passive victims signal, through attitude and behaviors, that they are insecure and will not respond strongly if bullied. They are often:
Physically weaker than others their age
Afraid of being hurt, have poor physical coordination and don't do well in sports
Have poor social skills and have difficulty making friends
Are cautious, sensitive, quiet, withdrawn and shy
The Mission For America's High Schools
NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT:
Sandy Boyd, Achieve
sboyd@achieve.org
(202) 419-1542
Stephanie Germeraad, The Education Trust
sgermeraad@edtrust.org
(202) 293-1217, x. 354
Measures That Matter - Making College And Career Readiness
The Mission For America's High Schools
Does anyone have a policy regarding teachers, who have student teachers and what they are to be doing when out of the class?
We have had a teacher who has had a student teacher 5 years in a row. Therefore have taught only 1/2 year, does anyone give supervisig teachers additional responsibilities?
Does anyone have a faculty dress code they could share with me?
Thank you!
Have any of you had a student in your building with severe turrets, both verbal and motor tics?
Online Course Enrollment at College Level Jumps 13 percent
One of the main reasons for including an online learning requirement in the Michigan Merit Curriculum was to give all Michigan students the experience of learning in an online environment.
According to a new study reported in eSchool News, online learning is increasing rapidly at the college level. This requirement could give Michigan students a boost, especially in these times of a sagging economy. Michigan recently won recognition for its requirement that is the first in the nation.
Controlling Your Q & A Emails
Now that we have a great new feature on our website that allows members to see all questions posted and even reply directly from your email, we have had some members inquire as to how to control the many emails coming across your desk!
Step by step, here's how to control the flow of emails - first in text, step by step, then below that, graphic images of how your screen will look and what you'll see!
1. Log in to the website with your username and password.
2. On the next screen you are sent to, scroll down until you see on the RIGHT, your username at the top of one of those boxes. That is your "usermenu".
3. In the usermenu, click on MY GROUPS.
Michigan Ranks Second in U.S.
November 18, 2008
LANSING – Two years after Michigan gained national attention as the first state in the nation to require online learning as a requirement for high school graduation, the state now is being recognized as second in the nation for its online learning policy and practice.
“In a world that demands knowledge workers, we are giving our students and our state a competitive advantage when it comes to preparing for the 21st century economy,” said Governor Jennifer Granholm. “This national ranking reinforces Michigan’s vision for innovation and our commitment to use leading- edge delivery methods to ensure our students are ready for higher education and today’s workplace.”
Wyandotte kids beat odds, excel in math
High passing rate dashes dropout fears
BY LORI HIGGINS
FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER
With more than 90% of its students passing algebra II in their first attempt, Wyandotte Public Schools is drawing notice from educators and experts looking to prevent a feared rash of dropouts next year when tens of thousands of students across the state have to take the class under graduation requirements.
Some educators across the state expect that students forced to take tougher math courses will fail en masse.
The class of 2011 is the first to be required to take a sequence of tougher math classes, including algebra II; by comparison, only 43% of the class of 2006 voluntarily took that course.
MDE Fumbles On Proficiency Stats
Everyone knows that there are hundreds of failing Michigan schools, however the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) seems to be confused by just how much they are actually failing.
When asked what percentage of students needed to meet standards for a school to achieve annual yearly progress (AYP), the department's assistant director for the Office of School Improvement (OSI) Mike RADKE said it was between 60 to 80 of students passing.
The problem with Radke's response is that, according to House Education committee chair Rep. Tim MELTON (D-Auburn Hills), the department's web site says the statistic is more in the 40 to 55 percent neighborhood.
Fixing the Freshman Factor
Pr. George's Schools Focus on 9th Grade, Which 1 in 4 Kids Flunked Last Year
By Nelson Hernandez
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 4, 2008; Page B01
The ninth-grader slouched in the chair one fall day, avoiding the principal's glare. He had the body of a boy, but he was deciding right there what kind of man he would be.
At the start of the school year, this child's education was flying off the rails. Mark E. Fossett, principal of Suitland High School in Prince George's County, called up the boy's attendance record on a computer and rattled off a lengthy list of days missed and classes cut. Unless something changed, he would fail ninth grade.