Virginia Audit Finds No Little Difference In Year-Round Schools' Scores

The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (10/11, Meola) reports that a review of year-round schools conducted by Virginia's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission "finds that some student groups were more likely to improve their standardized test scores in certain subjects at year-round schools than their peers at schools with a traditional calendar. That said, there was 'no appreciable difference' in Standards of Learning test scores of the student body generally at year-round schools compared with traditional schools. ... In Virginia, nine elementary schools in five districts employ a year-round school calendar, which typically means school begins earlier and includes shorter breaks or 'intersessions' during which students can receive enrichment or remediation."

Los Angeles School Board Passes Resolution Prioritizing Arts Curriculum

Eric Robelen writes at the Education Week (10/11) "Curriculum Matters" blog that the Los Angeles Unified School Board voted this week to "elevate the arts to an essential 'core' subject and to gradually restore budget cuts for it. In addition, the unanimously approved resolution instructed the superintendent to develop a plan to integrate the arts across the curriculum as the 664,000-student system moves to implement the Common Core State Standards." Robelen notes that the board passed a resolution calling on "Superintendent John Deasy to match or exceed arts funding to the level in 2007-08, before a series of what the press release calls 'massive budget deficits that crippled district finances across-the-board.'"

SBAC Releases Common Core Assessment Sampling

The Journal (10/11, Schaffhauser) reports that the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has "released a sizable sampling of online assessment items, giving teachers, educational leaders, and members of the public an early look at what kinds of items and tasks will appear on the high-stakes tests that are due to debut in the 2014-2015 school year." The piece notes that the group is developing assessments designed to dovetail with the Common Core Standards, adding that the other consortium developing such an assessment system, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, has already released such a sampling.

 

The Hechinger Report (10/11, Zhao) also runs an article about the previews of the new assessments, exploring the question of whether the new curriculum and tests will "really revolutionize how we measure whether children are learning." The piece describes the blend of "computer enhanced" questions and traditional multiple choice questions, adding, "One of the biggest concerns about the new tests has been how to finance them. The two coalitions designing the tests won grants from the federal government to pay for the beginning of the process, but this funding won't cover ongoing expenses related to the tests, like paying people to score answer sheets and the cost of new computers and expanded bandwidth."

Indiana District May Lack Sufficient Funds To Pay Teachers Through End Of Year

The Munster (IN) Times (10/12, McCollum) reports that the superintendent and local teachers union president in Gary, Indiana, are studying the district's finances, and that Gary Teachers Union President Joe Zimmerman "sent a note to teachers asking for input if the Gary Community School Corp. runs out of money and can't pay teachers after November." Meanwhile, the local school board "the board took decisive action Tuesday night to allay the fears of teachers and other employees," passing "a resolution to accept a $5.7 million loan from the Indiana Bond Bank and began a process to consolidate its obligations." The piece adds that Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt has "asked the Indiana State Board of Accounts to conduct an independent review of the district's financial picture."

Obama, Romney Share Many Education Policy Positions

The Los Angeles Times (10/12, Blume) reports, "When teachers walked off the job in Chicago last month, they were pushing back largely against" such education policies as a teacher evaluation overhaul, reduced job security, and expanding support for charter schools, noting that both President Obama and Mitt Romney support both policies. "Both also support paying more to effective teachers, a move that unions mostly decry as unsuccessful and divisive." The Times suggests that these positions mirror those of most Americans, and notes Romney's "unusual" praise for Education Secretary Arne Duncan in last week's presidential debate. Romney "told NBC News recently that Duncan 'has made a difference,' suggesting that he was, in effect, standing up to unions." Nevertheless, the Times notes, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel recently offered Obama his public support.

Florida Governor Seeking $2 Million In Teacher Training Grants

The Sunshine State (FL) News (10/12) reports that Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) "announced Thursday he will recommend a $2 million teacher training matching grant program for the 2013-14 state budget. The program will require private-sector matches." The piece quotes Scott saying, "The best way to strengthen our education system is to have a great teacher in every classroom and this $2 million investment in a competitive education grant program for teacher professional development is a major step toward that goal."

Teachers Selling Lesson Materials Via Websites

The AP (10/12, Blankinship) reports that many teachers across the country are "making extra money providing materials to their cash-strapped and time-limited colleagues on curriculum sharing sites like teacherspayteachers.com, providing an alternative to more traditional - and generally more expensive - school supply stores. Many districts, teachers and parents say these sites are saving teachers time and money, and giving educators a quick way to make extra income." The piece notes that one teacher has earned roughly $1 million on the website, noting that "Dozens of Internet forums have been created to help teachers distribute their material and pick up ideas from other educators."

Many Underprivileged Students Given Adderall To Boost Academic Performance

The New York Times (10/9, Schwarz, Subscription Publication) reports on the growing trend of physicians prescribing such stimulants as adderall--usually prescribed to treat ADHD--as an aid for "struggling students in schools starved of extra money...to boost their academic performance" even when no diagnosis of ADHD has been made. The Times adds that "some experts note that as wealthy students abuse stimulants to raise already-good grades in colleges and high schools, the medications are being used on low-income elementary school children with faltering grades and parents eager to see them succeed."

Despite Improvement, California Schools Fail To Make Adequate Yearly Progress

The Los Angeles Times (10/12, Blume) reports that the California Department of Education has released this year's Academic Performance Index, noting that though some struggling schools made significant improvement, "to the federal government" they "simply notched another dreary year of failure." The piece notes that 53% of the state's schools reached state targets, an increase of 4%. Nevertheless, many of the state's schools have failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress under NCLB for multiple years, making them subject to "so-called program improvement status."

 

Similarly, the San Jose Mercury News (10/12, Murphy) reports, "In the Bay Area, public schools in Palo Alto, San Ramon, Pleasanton and Walnut Creek have come to symbolize educational achievement. But on Thursday, those districts joined the ranks of schools and districts that have failed by the federal government's standards. ... Despite steady test score gains locally and statewide, only 26 percent of California's 10,000-plus schools met the increasingly tough and numerous targets of the No Child Left Behind Act this year." The piece notes that California has not received an NCLB waiver, even though "dozens of states have," and adds that "with the proficiency standard nearing 80 percent, the law is playing out as one might expect."

 

Other California media outlets covering this story include the San Francisco Chronicle (10/12), the Salinas Californian (10/12), the Riverside (CA) Press Enterprise (10/12, Klampe), the San Jose Mercury News (10/12, Harrington), the Santa Rosa (CA) Press Democrat (10/12, Benefield), the Orange County (CA) Register (10/12, LEAL, MARTINDALE), and U-T San Diego (10/12, Magee).

Online Programs May Undermine Inclusion Movement

Education Daily (10/10, Sherman) reports, "In some ways, the growth in online education, including virtual schools, is a blessing for students with disabilities" since they can work without distractions and at their own pace using such programs. "But the growth of online programs raises questions about LRE, according to David Rose, chief education officer at CAST, which promotes the use of universal design." The piece quotes Rose saying, "My darker fears are that this is a new kind of warehousing here for a lot of kids with disabilities. Schools, districts - even parents may prefer them to be in an online environment, but not necessarily for the right reasons, and that is something that the center really wants to get a better handle on."

 

Disability Scoop (10/10, Diament) reports that as online classes proliferate, "a group tasked with investigating the impact on students with disabilities is raising some serious concerns. In an open letter, officials with the federally-funded Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities say that there are a number of unknowns with this emerging technology." The group cites concerns about accessibility and teacher training.

Columnist Refutes View Of Common Core As Federal Takeover

In a column in the Akron (OH) Beacon Journal (10/10), Laura Ofobike writes at length about the relative quality of the US education system, and laments that the Common Core Standards are being represented by opponents as "nationalized" education standards. "For much of the past two decades, corporate executives in business and manufacturing, among others, complained about the high school diploma not being what it used to be, about graduates falling short of employer and college demands, of American teenagers losing academic ground to peers in other industrialized countries. ... The concern to lift up the game continues to inform a variety of reform efforts, from federal legislation such as President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, to voluntary initiatives like the Common Core Standards, developed by governors and state school superintendents." She notes that the Obama Administration's support for the Common Core is "enough to tag it a federal 'takeover' of education and one more reason to neuter the Department of Education."

Report Urges Sharing Of Student Information

Katie Ash writes at the Education Week (10/10) "Digital Education" blog that a new report from Digital Learning Now! "focuses on the sharing of student information and data, something the report contends is not being done well in today's education system. Most teachers know little about the students they receive at the start of the school year, the report says, which prevents them from being able to personalize learning for students from the first day of school." The report suggests that "data backpacks and learner profiles" would help teachers to craft relevant learning experiences for their students.

Writer Rejects Duncan's Call For Electronic Textbooks

In an op-ed in the New York Times (10/10, Subscription Publication), author and Tufts University professor Justin B. Hollander writes about Education Secretary Arne Duncan's recent calls for universal adoption of electronic textbooks. Hollander concedes that there are some uses for classroom technology, but argues that Duncan "is threatening to light a bonfire to a tried-and-true technology - good old paper - that has been the foundation for one of the great educational systems on the planet. And while e-readers and multimedia may seem appealing, the idea of replacing an effective learning platform with a widely hyped but still unproven one is extremely dangerous." Hollander argues that more research is needed and that there may be unintended consequences to removing traditional textbooks from US classrooms.

From Kenneth Beare’s Blog:

Learning New Food Vocabulary Speaking about food is probably one of the most common activities for any English learner. To start off, learn food vocabulary related to different types of food, ways of preparing... Read more

English for the Restaurant One of the most important tasks for any English class is learning how to order food. Here are resources on the site to help learners learn the basics, as well as more advanced vocabulary... Read more

Food - Containers and Measurements "I need a ____ of butter." - stick / box / pinch? Which type of food measurement is appropriate? This quiz focuses on different types of food storage containers and the various types measurements used when speaking about food... Read more

Visual Dictionary - Food This visual dictionary provides images of various fine foods that you might find in a restaurant. Each image contains a description of the foods, dishes and ingredients...Read more

Los Angeles Stakeholders Launch Arts Curriculum Push

The Los Angeles Times (10/9, Blume) reports, "Donors and school officials Monday launched a multimillion-dollar public awareness campaign to promote arts instruction in the Los Angeles Unified School District." The piece notes, however, that like other districts, Los Angeles is facing budget constraints that make increasing arts curriculum challenging. "The campaign, called 'Arts Matter,' consists of messages on 'hundreds of billboards, bus shelters, wall postings, mall media and bulletins,' according to organizers. It's being spearheaded by the Los Angeles Fund for Public Education, which raises money for projects related to L.A. Unified schools. Those signed up to tweet encouraging messages include singer Justin Bieber and entertainer/producer Ryan Seacrest."