Interactive Resources 

 

 

 

 

Charter Schools Program Listserv
www.ed.gov/programs/charter/csplist.html
The Office of Innovation and Improvement at the Department of Education established the Charter Schools Program Listserv to inform the public about charter-related grant programs, No Child Left Behind updates, new reports, and relevant special initiatives.  Those interested may sign up for periodic updates.

 

 

Learning to Give
www.learningtogive.org
Learning to Give seeks to influence both academic content and personal commitment regarding philanthropy and civic engagement.  Resources include classroom lesson plans, activities, and publications for teaching youth about sharing their time, talents and treasures.

 

 

Postsecondary Educational Institutions and Programs Accredited by Accrediting Agencies and State Approval Agencies Recognized by the US Secretary of Education
www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation
Postsecondary institutions that participate in the Department of Education (DOE)'s student aid programs must be accredited.  This database allows users to view accredited colleges, universities, and career and trade schools, which are subject to DOE oversight.  The list is part of the DOE's effort to address the growth of "diploma mills."

 

 

www.teachmath.org
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics established this website to educate the public about the need for certified math teachers and to encourage youth and adults to consider a career in math education.

 

 

Focus on English Learners
www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/760
WestEd presents strategies for serving English Language Learners, including preschool students.  Articles address pedagogy, practice, and recommendations for policymakers to improve education outcomes for English Language Learners.

 

 

Qualified Teachers for At-Risk Schools: A National Imperative
www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/57/96/5796.pdf *
This inaugural report from the National Partnership for Teaching in At-Risk Schools defines the problem of improving teacher quality in at-risk schools, discusses current initiatives, and identifies what research needs to be done to influence policy.  The Partnership is composed of the Education Commission of the States, ETS, and Learning Point Associates.

 

 

The Future of Charters
www.nsba.org/site/docs/35400/35392.pdf *
The National School Boards Association shares insights from interviews with school board and school district leaders about the challenges and opportunities facing school boards that authorize public charter schools.  Nationwide, local districts authorize the majority of public charter schools.  The authors recommend supports for school boards to successfully manage charter school authorization.

 

 

An Open Letter: Recommendations for Reforming the American High School
www.nas.org/aa/stotsky/govs_07feb05.pdf *
The National Association of Scholars makes the following nine recommendations to governors about improving academic achievement in high school: 1. make academic achievement the top priority; 2. diversify the curricula; 3. mandate a college-preparatory core curriculum; 4. increase teacher qualifications; 5. lengthen the school day and year and diversify school sizes; 6. standardize principal qualifications and fiscal/managerial autonomy, including hiring power; 7. provide remedial and advanced coursework, during the school year and summer; 8. diversify diplomas available, but mandate standards-based end-of-course exams; and 9. consider these high school models: International Baccalaureate, Southern Regional School Board's High Schools That Work, charter high schools focused on math/science, performing arts high schools, and Dade County, Florida's International Studies bilingual charter high school.

 

 

Department of Education Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Summary
www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget06/summary 
The Department of Education's Fiscal Year 2006 budget focuses on high school reform and increases funding for the Pell grant, special education, and Title I.  To free up almost $4.3 billion, the budget proposes the elimination of 48 programs that are considered duplicative or that have not resulted in positive student outcomes according to the Program Assessment Rating Tool.  The five most expensive programs slated for elimination account for $2.66 billion: 1. Vocational Education State Grants, 2. Educational Technology State Grants, 3. Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities State Grants, 4. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR-UP), and 5. Even Start.

 

 

Flaws and Failings: A Preliminary Look at the Problems Already Encountered in the Implementation of the District of Columbia's New Federally Mandated School Voucher Program
www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=17828
The People for the American Way (PFAW) assess the first year of the District's federal school voucher program, which is being administered by the Washington Scholarship Fund.  Findings include the following: 1. Seventy-five of the over 1,300 voucher recipients came from the targeted "in need of improvement" public schools; 2. The first year cannot be formally evaluated due to the lack of a comparison group; 3. More than 200 voucher recipients were already attending private schools; 4. Information about the DC Human Rights Act was not publicly reported to participating private schools; and 5. Private schools were able to apply admissions criteria to voucher students, including charging tuition above the $7,500 value of the voucher.

The Washington Scholarship Fund immediately posted Response to Allegations Made by People for the American Way to address the PFAW's concerns.  Main points are: 1. One-third of current voucher students would have attended a school in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind; 2. Income-eligible private school students are allowed to apply for vouchers, but public school students have priority; 3. The first year of the program will be evaluated for 6th through 12th grade students; 4. Participating schools formally agreed to follow all District laws; and 5. No private schools are charging program students more than the $7,500 voucher.

 

 

Innovations in Education: Innovative Pathways to School Leadership
www.ed.gov/about/pubs/intro/innovations.html
The Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement published its sixth and final booklet on promising practices with a focus on alternative pathways to becoming school principals and administrators.  Six programs are profiled, including locally-offered New Leaders for New Schools.  The 10 common elements among the programs profiled are: 1. a financial partnership; 2. program developers committed to three to five years of start up; 3. a research-based vision of instructional leadership; 4. a vision-based theory for program development and instructional design; 5. performance standards and outcome assessments aligned with vision and theory; 6. selective criteria for candidate screening; 7. a supportive cohort community; 8. a school-based practicum; 9. structured reflection and performance assessment; and 10. structured program monitoring and assessment.

 

 

Life after High School: Young People Talk about their Hopes and Prospects
www.publicagenda.org/research/research_reports_details.cfm?list=31
The latest survey from Public Agenda indicates that most young people aspire to postsecondary education.  However, the requisite academic preparation, mentoring, and guidance appears to be missing, according to the over 1,300 youth interviewed.  The study finds that obstacles to higher education include the shortage of high school counselors and financial pressures that affect students of color disproportionately.  Another issue raised is the "hit-or-miss" career path of those who do not pursue a college or technical degree.

 

 

On Course for Success: A Close Look at Selected Courses that Prepare All Students for College
www.act.org/path/policy/reports/success.html
Joint research by ACT and the Education Trust identifies the skills that need to be taught in English, math and science courses to prepare high school graduates for college and work success.  Recommendations are based on nine high schools that are 40% or more minority and/or 50% or more low-income with a higher than average proportion of graduates who are college-ready according to the ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks.  Key characteristics of these high performing high schools are: 1. high-level, college-oriented content in core courses; 2. qualified and experienced teachers; 3. teaching that is flexible and responsive to students; and 4. out of classroom support for students.

 

 

One Third of a Nation: Rising Dropout Rates and Declining Opportunities
www.ets.org/research/pic/onethird.pdf *
The Policy Information Center at ETS finds that the high school completion rate decreased during the 1990s, and students have began dropping out earlier, between the ninth and tenth grades.  The author also finds that the federal investment in high schools is about $3 billion, compared to $15 billion in the late 1970s.  ETS concludes that the outlook for youth is negative, due to few counselors, few out-of-school education and training opportunities, and declining employment and earnings prospects.

 

 

Public High School Graduation and College-Readiness Rates: 1991–2002
www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ewp_08.htm
The Manhattan Institute reports on graduation rates and college readiness rates, finding that nationwide graduates rates decreased from 72% to 71% during the period of 1991-2002.  These overall rates hide the performance of students of color.  Only 56% of black students and 52% of Latino students graduated in the class of 2002, compared to 78% of their white counterparts.  A similar demographic trend is evident in college readiness, where the overall rates increased from 25% to 34% during the 11 years.  Only 23% of black and 20% of Latino students were prepared for college, while 40% of their white peers were.  The authors attribute the increase in college readiness to the standards and reform movement.

 

 

Resilience and Sustainability: Eight Elements for Superintendents Who Want to Make a Difference and Have the Resolve to Do So
www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2005_02/fullan.htm
The American Association of School Administrators suggests that today's superintendents focus on sustainability in order to make a lasting difference.  The eight elements of sustainability are: 1. public service with moral purpose; 2. change the entire context within which people work; 3. strengthen peer relations across schools; 4. increase the capacity of schools to engage in self-review; 5. continuous improvement, adaptation and collective problem solving in the face of complex challenges; 6. dual commitment to short-term and long-term results; 7. take the energy, additional time, and ingenuity required for the next breakthrough; and 8. develop other leaders in the district.

 

 

Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work?
www.achieve.org
In this study, Achieve, Inc. and Peter D. Hart Research Associates report that public high school standards are not high enough to prepare students for success in college and the workplace.  The researchers surveyed recent high school graduates, employers, and college professors, finding a sizable gap between high school and postsecondary expectations.  Few (less than 25%) students felt prepared for college and work and the majority would have worked harder if standards had been higher.  Further, almost one-third (31%) of recent high school graduates thought they were "extremely well prepared" but needed remedial coursework before they could begin credit-bearing college study.  Some employers were dissatisfied with students' skills in reading comprehension (41%), analysis (42%), applied learning (39%), and communication (34%).  Few professors felt that students were ready for college, from 18% at all schools and 30% at colleges with competitive admissions.

 

 

Task Force on No Child Left Behind: Final Report
www.ncsl.org/programs/educ/nclb_report.htm
This bipartisan Task Force of the National Conference of State Legislatures met over 10 months to develop this response to the No Child Left Behind Act.  The Task Force recommends that Congress and the Department of Education allow more flexibility in implementing this law, specifically addressing the federal role in education reform; adequate yearly progress; urban and rural schools; teacher and paraprofessional quality; and funding.

The Education Trust addressed these findings in Statement of Ross Wiener, policy director of The Education Trust, on the report by National Conference of State Legislatures’ Task Force on No Child Left Behind.

 

 

To Ensure America's Future: Building a National Opportunity System for Adults
www.caalusa.org/commcollproject.html#anchor681610
The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) calls for strengthened links between adult education and community colleges to prepare adults with low basic skills for the nation's future workforce needs.  CAAL recommends the creation of the National Opportunity System for Adults, with concrete roles for the state and federal governments, community colleges, and the adult education system.  The focus is on collaborating in new ways, such as developing transitions between the adult education and community college systems.

 

 

What the United States Can Learn From Singapore's World-Class Mathematics System (and what Singapore can learn from the United States)"
www.air.org/news/documents/Singapore%20Report%20(Bookmark%20Version).pdf *
The American Institutes for Research compares elementary-level math in the United States and Singapore, identifying major differences between the mathematics frameworks, textbooks, assessments, and teacher preparation.  The federally-funded study finds that both countries' math systems have strengths, such as Singapore's ability to reach lower-performing students, textbooks with more depth, better preparation and a high level of professional development for math teachers, and more challenging assessments with accountability based on value-added testing.  The American math framework focuses on higher-order thinking skills, which prepares students for competing in the 21st century better than that of Singapore.

 

 

A Report on the State of Education in the District of Columbia: Establishing a Baseline
www.seo.dc.gov/seo/frames.asp?doc=/seo/lib/seo/SER/SEO_prospects_fnl3.pdf&group=1507
FINAL VERSION.  The State Education Office presents the first in a series of reports on the performance and progress of public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia, featuring clickable links to additional resources at the end of each chapter.  Covering a broad range of topics affecting local students, the chapters are devoted to: 1. Our Children and Their Families, 2. Our Students and Their Schools, 3.  Our Teachers and School Leaders, 4. Student Outcomes, 5. Financing Our Schools, and 6. Taking Stock.