All Learning is Personalized

All Learning is Personalized:

"Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. — Oscar Wilde

Let’s imagine a conversation at the close of the 19th century. You and a team of designers are considering elements of the internal combustion engine that will, if successful, trigger a revolution in personal transportation and change the course of history. In a conversation with team members, you are presented with a series of challenging questions regarding the use of a sparkplug.

“How do we know that’s the right design? Where has this worked before?”"

Resources for Districts and Charter Management Organizations - The Broad Foundation - Education

Resources for Districts and Charter Management Organizations - The Broad Foundation - Education:

"The guides and toolkits described below were created by and for school districts and charter management organizations with support from The Broad Foundation to help with some of the most pressing and complicated issues facing school systems.

For more information, please email tools@broadfoundation.org."

SCHOOL CLOSURE GUIDE

EMPLOYEE EVALUATION GUIDE

SCHOOL SATISFACTION SURVEYS

CPS board chairman had gunshot wound to head :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Chicago Crime

CPS board chairman had gunshot wound to head :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Chicago Crime:

"Chicago School Board President Michael Scott had a gunshot wound to the left temple when authorities found his body in the Chicago River near the Merchandise Mart early this morning, sources said.

An autopsy will be performed later today to rule how Scott, 60, died. He was reported missing from his home in the Monroe police district on the Near West Side in Chicago Sunday, sources said."

His car -- a blue Cadillac -- was found parked near the river where the body was found, police said. It was towed from the scene.

Fire crews arrived about 3:20 a.m. to recover the body just west of the Apparel Center at 350 N. Orleans St., home of the Chicago Sun-Times.

A Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman did not return calls for comment.

Belmont Area detectives are conducting a death investigation.

A stunned Rev. Jesse Jackson showed up at the scene Monday morning after hearing about Scott's death on the news. He said he spoke with him last week -- and Scott sounded normal to him.

"Everyone thought Michael was their guy," Jackson said. "People are so very sad. .. . The suddenness of it all -- midday has become midnight. The sun has been eclipsed."

Education Department raises the bar on city high school grading system

Education Department raises the bar on city high school grading system:

"The Education Department has made it harder for high schools to get top marks on the report cards the city is releasing Monday.

The move follows widespread criticism last year when a whopping 82% of secondary schools earned A's and B's under the city's controversial grading system.

'We absolutely raised the bar,' said Education Department spokeswoman Ann Forte. 'Our goal is to continue to create stretch targets for schools.'

This year, 97% of elementary and middle schools scored A's and B's, raising even more eyebrows."

Presidents of UNT, UTA and UT-Dallas to push for Tier One status | News | Star-Telegram.com

Presidents of UNT, UTA and UT-Dallas to push for Tier One status News Star-Telegram.com:

"The presidents of North Texas’ three largest public universities say their schools will push toward Tier One status now that voters have approved Proposition 4.

Though the presidents say it could take five to 10 years for their schools to become major research institutions, they also say residents and students will see improvements along the way.
Expectations include erecting new buildings, hiring more professors, offering more scholarships and raising more money for endowments."

Interviews: Educators Speak Out on Pay for Performance

Interviews: Educators Speak Out on Pay for Performance:

CAP Interviews Teachers and School Leaders Implementing Compensation Reform

"Researchers, policymakers, and the general public agree that skilled teachers are valuable, but there is also a growing understanding that states and districts do not have adequate systems for attracting, developing, and retaining effective teachers. Improving these human capital systems would yield long-term dividends for both teachers and students."

The Teacher Incentive Fund, or TIF, is one of the few federal investments that can incentivize significant changes in human capital systems in participating states and districts. TIF supports performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-needs schools. It also supports providing additional compensation for teachers who take on increased roles and responsibilities or teach in subject shortage areas, such as mathematics, science, and special education. Many of the TIF programs also upgrade their evaluation systems and professional development programs to help teachers become more effective. This is federal funding that goes directly to support effective teachers and those taking on challenging assignments.

The Obama administration and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan understand the importance of smart, forward-looking investments in education. That’s why the administration has proposed a dramatic increase in funding for the Teacher Incentive Fund from $97 million this year to $487.3 million in fiscal year 2010. And it provided additional support for the program with $200 million in funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The House has approved $446 million in funding for the program (H.R. 3293), and policymakers should support this funding level as they complete work on the final 2010 Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations bill.

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Bright and Early

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... Bright and Early:

"It's better than coffee, I've heard it argued. Launch into your week with the school newsblitz!

Sweetwater school board members will discuss behind closed doors whether Superintendent Jesus Gandara violated his contract by quietly interviewing for a job in Austin, the Union-Tribune reports. If you missed the exacting reporting on this from the Chula Vista Star News, you should check it out.

We blog that the long and winding case of a former San Diego County Office of Education employee takes another twist.

Also in the UT: University of California students protest upped fees due to the schools' budget crisis. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that some of the increased fees break the universities' own rules.

A Healthy Constitution

A Healthy Constitution:

"I was moved by the way Morgan Spurlock framed a narrow long-distance shot down the corridor of a Beckley, West Virginia, middle school in his outstanding 2004 film, Super Size Me. The film is about the toll that fast and processed food takes on all of us. Clearly visible in the background of this particular shot were dozens of students, many of whom were overweight."

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Beckley's cafeteria offers only processed food, which is high in fat, sodium and sugar and of very little nutritional value.

Contrast this with the Central Alternative High School in Appleton, Wisconsin. The school serves troubled youth, but teachers, parents and administrators found a way to turn things around; and when they did, discipline problems dropped sharply. Their secret? Instead of the usual processed meals, the school cafeteria offers fresh, locally grown, low-fat, low-sugar alternatives. The healthier meals are delicious. The students love them. They perform better in class and don't get sick as often.

We are learning that when schools serve healthier meals, they solve serious educational and health-related problems. But what's missing from the national conversation about school lunch reform is the opportunity to use food to teach values that are central to democracy. Better food isn't just about test scores, health and discipline. It is about preparing students for the responsibilities of citizenship.

UTLA spotlights Teacher-Parent-Administrator Collaboration | United Teachers Los Angeles

UTLA spotlights Teacher-Parent-Administrator Collaboration United Teachers Los Angeles:

"UTLA invited the media to get a glimpse of constructive collaboration in action on November 10, when representatives from focus schools and new schools gathered at UTLA headquarters to finalize their letters of intent as part of the Public School Choice motion.

More than 15 media outlets took UTLA up on the offer and filmed parents, teachers, and administrators as they worked with each other and, in some cases, with UTLA‐provided grant writers. Reporters also interviewed participants about the Public School Choice motion and the customized reform plans they are developing for their schools. The letters of intent are due on November 16.

The positive nature of the UTLA press event contrasted sharply with a negative, hastily organized press conference in front of the UTLA building earlier that day by Alliance for a Better Community, Families in Schools, and LAUSD School Board members Yolie Flores Aguilar and Monica Garcia. During that event, the groups displayed a copy of a crudely laid‐out flyer reportedly distributed to parents that says they could be deported for signing a charter school petition. The groups also made other vague, unsubstantiated claims of parent intimidation, with no particulars shared."

Download at : http://www.docstoc.com/docs/16501685/UTLA-spotlights-teacher-parent-administrator-collaboration

Los Angeles Unified School District

Los Angeles Unified School District:

"The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is committed to excellence in education for all children. Toward that end the District is always looking for models of excellence and new ways to improve educating our children. There are currently instructional models within our traditional class settings that are doing much to prepare our children for college and new careers. However, one size doesn’t fit all and we are always open to new and innovative solutions to continue our quest for the finest public education has to offer.

Students and families are demanding high quality schools and we share that same goal. We want all of our students to graduate and move on to become productive and contributing members of our community."

12 L.A. schools: Who gets to run them? Key deadline today in reform plan | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

12 L.A. schools: Who gets to run them? Key deadline today in reform plan L.A. NOW Los Angeles Times:

"Today marks the first key deadline for a much-watched school-reform plan that allows groups inside or outside the Los Angeles Unified School District to bid for control of 12 struggling schools as well as 18 newly constructed campuses. Groups must turn in “letters of intent” by the end of the day signaling their plans to submit full-fledged bids by Jan. 11.

The reform effort will be highlighted at two competing news conferences, the first one called by the school district’s teachers union and the other by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The United Teachers Los Angeles event, at Jefferson High School in Central Alameda, was set to start at 7 a.m., to allow teachers to participate before their classes begin. UTLA has predicted that groups of teachers will submit bids for every school on the list."

Rewriting the Old Script for California’s New Future

Rewriting the Old Script for California’s New Future:

"“What were they thinking in 1978?”

That was one of the questions USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development Professor Dowell Myers answered during a presentation about the future implications for California as a result of the recent 40 percent decline in home values.

Myers discussed how the history and future of Proposition 13 are not headed in the same direction as a part of USC’s ongoing Critical Issues in Public Policy series.

Dramatic raises in house prices in the 1970’s fueled shocking increases in property taxes, and the innovations of Prop. 13 provided much needed solutions. Myers told the audience at the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento about the need to look at how the demographics of the state have changed in the 31 years since the proposition was passed, as well as the outlook going forward."

€150m computers scheme unveiled - The Irish Times - Mon, Nov 16, 2009

€150m computers scheme unveiled - The Irish Times - Mon, Nov 16, 2009:

"Every school classroom in the State is to get a laptop, software and a digital projector over the next three years under a €150 million plan to bring Irish schoolchildren “up to speed” with the digital revolution.

Details of the plan were announced by Taoiseach Brian Cowen at the launch today of a report by the hi-tech industry advisory group, chaired by Paul Rellis of Microsoft Ireland.

The Smart Economy, Smart Schools report identified an “infrastructural deficit” in schools’ basic technology systems that needed to be addressed to ensure that Ireland keeps pace with global technological developments."

Education Week: States' Fiscal View: Gloomy, Gloomier

Education Week: States' Fiscal View: Gloomy, Gloomier:

"Ouch!

That may be the simplest way to describe the latest (preliminary) national data on states’ financial pictures, issued last week.

“We are seeing the worst numbers and indicators that we’ve ever seen in terms of state fiscal conditions,” Scott D. Pattison, the executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers, said at a..."

Read full preliminary report: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/16498553/Fiscal-Survey-of-States-Preliminary-Data

School Board president's body found in Chicago River :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Chicago Crime

School Board president's body found in Chicago River :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Chicago Crime:

"The body of Chicago School Board president Michael Scott was found floating in the Chicago River near the Merchandise Mart early Monday in the River North neighborhood, police sources said.
Scott was reported missing from his home in the Monroe police district on the Near West Side in Chicago Sunday and police believe the body pulled from the river is him, sources said.

His car was found parked near the river where the body was found, police said. NBC5 reported that Scott’s blue Cadillac was found and towed from the scene."

Education Week: Education Department to Demand School Pay Data

Education Week: Education Department to Demand School Pay Data:

"U.S. Department of Education officials plan to require districts receiving economic-stimulus aid to report school-level salaries—a sign, observers say, that the Obama administration might seek key changes to district accounting procedures for federal Title I funds.

The reporting—the first collection of its type undertaken by the federal government—could give a clearer picture about the extent to which district spending on salaries differs between schools that receive Title I dollars for disadvantaged students and those that do not."

The results of the data collection, which is to take place this winter, are likely to give more ammunition to school finance experts and lawmakers who maintain that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act should be changed to require districts to address such disparities before...

Two worlds on one campus -- latimes.com

Two worlds on one campus -- latimes.com:

"On a quiet Sunday in September, a strange scene played out at the school once known simply as Birmingham High.

A locksmith strode onto campus, escorted by Los Angeles Unified School District police. They made their way along outdoor corridors to Room G-44, a large classroom wired as a computer lab. The locks were replaced with shiny new ones. Furniture was removed.

Mission accomplished, the group left."

Fairport battles gender gap with all-girls tech program | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle

Fairport battles gender gap with all-girls tech program democratandchronicle.com Democrat and Chronicle:

"The Fairport Central School District has approved an aggressive approach to counteract the gender gap in technology classes.

The district will begin a two-year pilot program starting next fall to create four all-girl technology courses — one each at Fairport High School, Minerva DeLand School (ninth grade), and Martha Brown and Johanna Perrin middle schools. Enrollment will be voluntary in compliance with Title IX."

"Girls sometimes won't take technology classes because they don't want to be the only girl in a class or in a technology club," said Dave Allyn, a special assignment administrator for the Fairport school district. "Job growth is happening in engineering and some of the sciences where old stereotypes persist about those male-dominated fields, and we need to make our young women aware that there is an opportunity for them."

Women make up more than half of the work force but hold 28 percent of technology positions, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the number of young women studying computer science has fallen by more than 40 percent in the past two decades. With computer support specialist, systems administrator and engineering positions expected to grow significantly by 2016, educators and employers worry that young women are failing to gain the necessary skills for those jobs. Both the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology have less than 30 percent female enrollment in their undergraduate engineering programs.

The Media Equation - Illinois Prosecutors Take Aim at the Medill Innocence Project - NYTimes.com

The Media Equation - Illinois Prosecutors Take Aim at the Medill Innocence Project - NYTimes.com:

"Since 1992, Prof. David Protess at the Medill school at Northwestern University has worked with undergraduate journalism students to investigate cases in which prosecutors appear to have taken aim at the wrong people. That might be about to happen again, only this time the students themselves would be the targets.

In one of the most recent cases, students working with the effort, which became the Medill Innocence Project in 1999, uncovered evidence that suggested Anthony McKinney had been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for almost three decades for the murder of a security guard in 1978.

Mr. McKinney was running by the scene of the crime, was questioned and later charged. He confessed, but later said he had been beaten with a pipe — an interrogation technique not without precedent in Chicago — and forced to sign a confession.

International Students in the US

International Students in the US

Total foreign student numbers increased 8% in 2008/09; New enrollments up by 16%Largest percentage increase in international enrollments since 1980 India remained leading sending country, up 9%; China up by 21% USC top host university; California top host state; NYC top host city;Business and Management, Engineering remain top fields of study

WASHINGTON D.C., November 16, 2009 -- The number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 8% to an all-time high of 671,616 in the 2008/09 academic year, according to the Open Doors report, which is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This is the largest percentage increase in international student enrollments since 1980/81, and marks the third consecutive year of significant growth (with increases of 7% in 2007/08 and 3% in 2006/07). The total international student count exceeds by 14.5% the prior peak enrollment year (2002/03).

Open Doors 2009 data also show the number of “new” international students -- those enrolled for the first time at a U.S. college or university in fall 2008 – increasing by 16%, following two years of 10% increases. The largest growth was seen in undergraduate enrollments, which increased by 11%, compared to a 2% increase in graduate enrollments. This growth was driven largely by increases in undergraduate students from China.

The Open Doors 2009 data reports on enrollments in academic year 2008/09 based on a comprehensive survey of approximately 3,000 accredited U.S higher education institutions of all types and sizes, regarding international students at all levels of study. The findings do not reflect the full impact of the past year’s economic downturn, since decisions to come to the United States to study were made before the financial effects were fully felt in the sending countries.

To provide a “snapshot” look at what U.S. campuses are reporting in Fall 2009, IIE conducted an online survey, in cooperation with seven other higher education associations, asking if international enrollments for Fall 2009 have increased or decreased. This survey indicates a mixed picture for this Fall, with international enrollments varying according to different countries of origin and types and sizes of host institutions: 50% of responding campuses are continuing to see increases in international student enrollments (down from 57% who saw increases the previous year), while 24% reported declines, and 26% reported levels about the same as for the prior Fall. The campuses seeing declines noted varied effects of the current economic conditions and students’ concerns about the H1N1 virus, while those reporting increases cited increased recruitment efforts and the growing reputation and visibility of U.S. campuses abroad.

“I am delighted to see the large increase in the number of international students who are choosing to study in the United States,” said Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

“The all-time high number of international students who studied here in the 2008/09 academic year testifies to the quality and diversity for which American higher education is known around the world. The Department of State actively promotes the benefits of an American education. Our large network of more than 400 EducationUSA advising centers plays a key role in matching international students with a U.S. academic institution that’s just right for them. We strongly encourage international students to study in the United States, and are committed to helping them choose the American college or university that best meets their needs.”

According to Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, “American higher education continues to be highly valued throughout the world. U.S. campuses offer unparalleled opportunities for creativity, flexibility, and cultural exchange. Students from all over the world contribute substantially to their host campuses and to the U.S. economy. Their active engagement in our classrooms provides U.S. students with valuable skills that will enable them to collaborate across political and cultural borders to address shared global challenges in the years ahead.”

Open Doors 2009 reports increases in foreign student enrollments from seven of the ten leading places of origin, and 19 of the top 25, with increases of more than 20% from four countries. India remains the leading place of origin for the eighth consecutive year, increasing by 9% to 103,260. Students from China, once again the second leading sender, increased 21% for a total of 98,510. South Korea, in third place, increased 9% to 75,065. Canada, the only non-Asian country in the top five, rose to fourth place with an increase of 2% to 29,697, surpassing Japan, now in fifth place after students declined for the fourth consecutive year, decreasing by 14% to 29,264. Taiwan remained in sixth place, with 28,065 students, a 3% decline.

The number of students from Mexico, the seventh-leading sender, remained flat this year, with a total of 14,850. Students from Turkey (#8) increased by 10% to 13,263, while Vietnam jumped into the ninth spot with a dramatic 46% increase to 12,823. Vietnam’s 2008/09 growth follows increases of 45% in 2007/08 and 31% in 2006/07, moving it into the top 10 this year from 20th place only two years ago.

Saudi Arabia, the tenth leading sender, increased by 28% to 12,661, consistent with its substantial investment in government funded scholarships.

Other notable increases were seen in enrollments from Nepal (#11), up 30% to 11,581 students, Germany (#12), up 9% to 9,679, and Brazil (#13), up 16% to 8,767 students in the United States. Slight declines were seen in the numbers of students from Thailand (#14) and Indonesia (#17), -3.0% and -2.4% respectively. The United Kingdom (#15), Hong Kong (#16), France (#18) and Colombia (#19) showed increases of less then 5%. Nigeria was #20, with an increase of 1% to 6,256 and Kenya was #22, with a 1% increase.

According to Open Doors 2009, universities in California hosted the largest number of foreign students with 93,124, up 10%, followed by New York with 74,934, up 7%, and Texas with 58,188, up 12%.

The New York City metropolitan area continues to be the leading city for international students, with 59,322 enrolled in area schools, up 8%. The Los Angeles metropolitan area is in second place with 42,897 international students, up 11%.

For the eighth consecutive year, Open Doors reports that the University of Southern California hosted the largest number of international students, this year reporting 7,482. New York University held in second place with 6,761 international students, and Columbia University, also holding steady in third place, hosted 6,685. Rounding out the top five 2008/09 host institutions are University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (6,570 students) and Purdue University (6,136 students). Open Doors reports that 171 U.S. campuses each hosted more than 1,000 students.

Business and Management remains the most popular field of study for international students in the United States, increasing by 12% and comprising 21% percent of the total, followed by Engineering with an 11% increase and comprising 18% of the total.

Math and Computer Science also increased significantly in 2008/09, up 10% from the prior year. After a 15% increase in 2007/08, Intensive English Language showed a slight decline in popularity, decreasing by 1%.

International students contribute $17.8 billion to the U.S. economy, through their expenditures on tuition and living expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Higher education is among the United States’ top service sector exports, as international students provide revenue to the U.S. economy and individual host states for living expenses, including room and board, books and supplies, transportation, health insurance, support for accompanying family members, and other miscellaneous items.

Open Doors 2009 reports that 65% of all international students receive the majority of their funds from personal and family sources.

When other sources of foreign funding are included, such as assistance from their home country governments or universities, 70% of all international students’ primary funding comes from sources outside of the United States.

# # #Highlights from Open Doors 2009: Note: Extensive data tables are available on IIE's website at http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/?p=150808.