A group of lawmakers has told President Donald Trump that new funding for improving school facilities is “essential for advancing student achievement” and should be a part of any broader infrastructure spending plan.
In a Wednesday letter to Trump, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., along with 23 other senators, all Democrats, highlighted a 2014 federal study that said it would take $197 billion to pay for repairs, modernizations, and renovations needed by U.S. schools, or about $4.5 million per school (53 percent of schools reported in the study’s survey that such actions were necessary). They also cite a separate 2016 report which reported that the nation underfunds school construction by $38 billion every year.
Did you know that game-based learning is gaining popularity in education as more young people and adults learn from games in and out of the classroom? Well-designed games can motivate students to actively engage in content that relates to coursework, and to master challenging tasks designed to sharpen critical thinking and problem solving, as well as employment and life skills.
On January 8, 2018, the 5th annual ED Games Expo occurred at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. The event was organized in collaboration between the Department of Education’s (ED) Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the Kennedy Center’s Education team. The event showcased more than 100 learning games, most developed with funding from 17 different government programs within and outside ED. The games were for students of all ages in education and special education and covered topics across STEM, reading, social studies and social development. Many incorporated emerging technologies, such as virtual reality, augmented reality and maker spaces with 3D printing stations, as well as engaging approaches to learning, such as narrative adventures and puzzle games.
A Unique Opportunity
This year the Expo featured panel sessions with game developers and live demos by more than 80 developers from around the country. At a daytime panel session on the Millennium Stage titled “So You Want to Be a Game Developer,” 13 different game developers shared inspiring stories for why and how they became game developers. The audience included more than 500 DC-area school students, many of whom took the microphone and asked questions such as “What is it like to be a game developer?” and “What can I do to be a game developer?”
The live demos of learning games and technologies occurred across multiple galleries on the Terrace Level of the Kennedy Center. Across the day and into the early evening, the students and more than 200 other visitors played games while meeting face-to-face with the developers. The experience provided a unique opportunity for attendees to discuss how the games were developed and to learn about the research findings on how games can impact student performance.
Learning Games Emerge Across Many Government Programs
Along with being a fun and rich learning experience for everyone, the Expo demonstrated the impact of a wide range of government programs that invest in learning games as a strategy to advance their mission to support education and learning.
Outside of ED, learning games at the Expo were supported by ten different government programs, including the SBIR programs at the National Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes for Health and research programs at the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health. A group of games were also developed from programs at USAID, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Lastly, the Kennedy Center joined the Expo this year in recognition of the arts and creativity embedded in the game development process. The Expo provided tangible opportunities for students to learn directly from game developers how they use the creative artistic process to design multi-modal, differentiated games that are engaging, customized learning experiences for all. Through its Education programs, the Kennedy Center encourages a broad audience of students and stakeholders to consider game development as an opportunity for a range of learning experiences, through concept ideation, design, coding, graphic art creation, musical score writing and performance, or research and evaluation during and after development.
Edward Metz is a Research Scientist at the Institute of Education Sciences within the Department of Education, where he leads the SBIR and the Education Technology Research Grants programs.
Jeanette McCune is the Director of School and Community Programs in Education at the Kennedy Center.
Follow IES (@IESResearch) and the Kennedy Center (@Kencen) for updates on the next ED Games Expo and other initiatives.
VOICE & VIEWPOINT — In describing his runaway hit “Hamilton,” actor and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda said, “It’s this incredible way to explore how history isn’t told.” For students in San Diego City Schools and surrounding areas, this thought-provoking notion took center stage with their participation in eduHam, an innovative educational program coordinated with the Tony-winning play’s run at the San Diego Civic Theatre, which provided nearly 3,000 students entrée to a special matinee performance on January 11, including a lively Q & A session with some of the cast members, and, for some, the opportunity to perform their own original creative pieces—songs, rap, poetry, scenes, monologues—before an audience of their peers.
The Hamilton Education Program, or eduHam, is a multi-week program for high school students studying American history in Title 1 schools, culminating in an all-day field trip to the theatre. Hoover High School was one of 46 schools taking part in the special event. Students earned their spot at the coveted affair by participating in class activities and/or after school and Saturday sessions during which they researched extensively, studied primary sources provided by the philanthropic Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in conjunction with the producers of “Hamilton,” and let their imaginations go full throttle to create individual projects that were informative and entertaining. Connections to current events are not lost on these thoughtful and curious students, adding dimension to their learning experience.
On a recent afternoon, three of the participating students from Hoover, Alexis Harnage, Edy Canaca, and Lilia Ruvalcaba, gathered in the classroom of ELA teacher Kristiana Riego de Dios in anticipation of the big day and shared thoughts on how the project had stimulated new learning experiences that helped them look at history in new and different ways.
“I thought it was cool that people were combining history and the arts because usually you see history as more academic, and dance and art as different,” said 11th grader Harnage. The use of contemporary music—hip hop and rap—along with the more traditional genres of R & B and jazz was a hook for the high school junior, who plays an instrument herself, part of a rigorous curriculum that includes AP US History. Harnage, at 17, is articulate and focused, a self-described overachiever who said she drew on prior knowledge of George Washington, supplemented with extensive research to create a rap about our founding father and his role as a revolutionary leader in America’s road to independence. Her hard work paid off, as her project, which she wrote and performed with fellow Hoover 11th grader Bernard Drake, was one of only 15 selected for presentation at the Thursday event. “What I learned is that every leader, every president sets a tone for how they will lead the country. George Washington was widely respected as the first president of the United States and as a leader. I constantly make the connection with our first president of the United States vs. our current president Donald Trump, because I know there is controversy as to whether he is a good president or not. What you put out and what you do for the people of the country will stick around for a really long time.”
Edy Canaca, whose AP US History teacher Ellen Towers describes as “a consummate learner, was drawn to the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. The 11th grader created a poem, which he and two of his classmates acted out. Prior to his research, Canaca was not aware of the outcome of the duel, which Burr won when Hamilton chose to shoot his gun in the air. “But it still ended badly for Burr,” Canaca concluded, “and I’m pretty sure he regretted it. Destroying his enemy actually made it worse for him and he could not advance politically.” In his research, Canaca made an important discovery as to discrepancies in how history is told. “Every source says something different. It’s not always accurate and there are people who change it up. They always tweak it, depending on their perspective.”
Lilia Ruvalcaba, who loves writing poetry, found a fascinating subject in Abigail Adams. “When we look at history, we see a lot of men, and in our history class, we learned about the politics, but we didn’t really learn her side.” Ruvalcaba’s poem, written from the perspective of Adams, who was both wife of President John Adams and later the mother of 6th president John Quincy Adams, explores the woman’s role as intellectual confidante, but one who, as a product of the times, remained largely behind the scenes. Lilia is soft-spoken but delivers a powerful message in her observations about women’s roles that is especially timely. “One of the things she said that stands out to me,” said the 16-year-old, “was ‘Remember us ladies.’ That’s a significant line and important even today.”
“This is a story about America then, told by America now,” writer/producer Miranda has said. AP History teacher Towers, who worked with de Dios as eduHAM coordinator on the Hoover campus, encouraged inquiry in her students as they drew facts from their primary sources and at the same time humanized the historical figures they read about. “My focus since I’ve gotten into history is telling the untold story or telling the story from a different perspective,” she says. “It’s nice to see people thinking about history as a multi-dimensional and multi-perspective idea. I think in the back of every history teacher’s mind is ‘who have we missed and how can we bring them forward without being dishonest.’”
This point is not lost on Harnage, who adds, “Being African American, I sit in a lot of history classes and know that it is Eurocentric. When it comes to African Americans and the struggle of our people and what we have to overcome, I don’t hear about that in school that often, and I don’t necessarily think that it’s the teacher’s fault because I think that they are just teaching the curriculum. But,” she adds, “when I think about how history is told, I think that certain types of history are overtold and other types of history or other perspectives of history or types of people are undertold or not told at all.”
Projects like eduHAM can narrow this learning gap. And by casting African Americans and Hispanics in the “Hamilton” production, Miranda highlights the diversity of people who were there and not in the shadows, Towers says, “And,” adds De Rios, “why can’t a person of color play Hamilton or Aaron Burr? Who is to say that color has to define your role?”
Who indeed?
On the big day, when 2,833 high school students—the largest eduHAM ever—filled the seats of the San Diego Civic Theatre, love, laughter, and gratitude was palpable. “This is an honor,” said Hoover 11th grader Bernard Drake after his performance with student Harnage. “It’s amazing to me how an assignment for a class can lead to you seeing a performance of ‘Hamilton.’ Working towards a goal this way is very rewarding. It pushed me to do my best and I know will lead to even greater things.”
And, as Karli Dinardo, “Hamilton” cast member advised, “No dream is too big. Learning is endless. No matter how hard, throw yourself into the deep end and surround yourself with people who are positive, who encourage and nurture your dreams.”
by Lesia Winiarskyj for Connecticut Education Association
Bridgeport teacher Greg Furlong shared his firsthand experiences with inadequate resources and support as a witness for CCJEF during the trial in Superior Court.
Yesterday’s State Supreme Court ruling in the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding (CCJEF) v. Rell delivered a mixed verdict—bad for school funding, while rejecting the lower court’s attempt to create burdensome schemes for testing, teacher evaluation, and education policy.
The key issue in the CCJEF case was whether school funding in Connecticut is adequate. On this issue, the Court found that state funding meets the minimally adequate level required. This finding flies in the face of mounting evidence of poorly funded and resourced public schools throughout the state, especially in high poverty communities…
Where you send your child toschool is one of the most important decisions you can make.
The new school quality data released by the state shows several public schools making great progress with Oakland children.
But before I get to the schools showing the most progress, let me offer a disclaimer.
No number can fully capture a school’s story of success. So take these insights as starting points and do your homework.
Now is the time to research and apply to schools in open enrollment.
All of the information below can be found on the Oakland Unified School District’s website.
We have never had more options, easier ways to enroll, or more information about schools, so we need make the best choices we can.
Check out this list of schools making significant gains in English language arts, math and graduation rates, as well as those that stand out for serving Black and Latino* students exceptionally well:
Elementary schools gaining in math and English
Aspire Monarch*
Francophone Charter school
Madison Park*
Manzanita SEED
Glenview
Middle Schools gaining in math and English
West Oakland Middle School+
American Indian Public Charter+
Claremont*
Epic Charter*
Oakland Charter *
K-8 Schools gaining in math and English
Greenleaf*
Ascend*
Melrose
American Indian Model School+
Hillcrest+
6-12 Schools gaining in math and English
Coliseum College Prep*
Aspire Golden State*
Aspire Lionel Wilson*
Madison Park*
Bay Area Technology Prep+
High Schools with academic gains and increasing graduation rates
MetWest*+
Leadership Public Schools R and D
ARISE*
Oakland Charter High*
Envision*+
Knowledge is power. So take advantage of your options and the information available. There are still enrollment fairs coming up from OUSD and Enroll Oakland before the enrollment deadlines. Your children are counting on you to do the best by them, and that starts with making informed choices.
Oral reading fluency is a key indicator of reading proficiency. But it’s got some issues, as it’s currently implemented in some schools. One of these is that we have a cadre of kids who are getting the wrong message: we’re teaching them that they can fast talk their way into college and career success.
Overselling reading speed at the high end
The wrong message is this: faster reading is better reading. And we’ve done a pretty good job of selling that idea to some kids and families these days. Millions of kids read aloud for one minute on grade level passages each season; teachers gauge their words correct per minute (WCPM) as a metric of fluency. If Sally’s “fluency” is 120 words correct per minute and Jane’s is 125, then both girls know who wins. And when Sally reads aloud for one minute next season, she’s going to be very focused on getting those words out faster than she did last time. When we teach kids that more and more WCPM is the goal, we steer them wrong on how literacy for college and career will work.
Unless, of course, their career aspiration is to become a fast-talking auctioneer.
Even back in 1985, proponents of fluency measurement were warning that without an associated focus on comprehension, the one-minute oral reading approach presents some risk of unwanted results (Deno, 1985). Sure enough: researchers have found that the pervasiveness of this isolated WCPM metric moves many teachers towards a “faster is better” orientation as they teach reading (Newman, 2009; Deeney, 2010).
Is oral reading fluency assessment bad? Heck, no. It’s an amazingly robust measure, used well. Revisit this blog for a recap…
Cindy Jiban has taught in elementary and middle schools, both as a classroom teacher and as a special educator. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota, focusing on intervention and assessment for students acquiring foundational academic skills. After contributions at the Research Institute on Progress Monitoring, the National Center on Educational Outcomes, and the Minnesota Center for Reading Research, Cindy joined NWEA in 2009.
Nearly 20 percent of the country’s students are enrolled in rural schools, yet are not provided the same focus in national policy or research as students in urban and suburban school districts. “Out of the Loop,” a new report from the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA), Center for Public Education (CPE), finds that poverty, isolation and inequities are exacerbated for rural students by the lack of attention to the unique needs of this considerable student population.
While not equally distributed across the country, CPE’s analysis notes, approximately one-half of school districts, one-third of schools, and one-fifth of all students in the United States are in rural areas. Inadequate funding, lower literacy rates, and less access to advanced courses such as AP and STEM classes impact rural students’ achievement, creating significant barriers to their success.
“The unfortunate reality is that there are academic and digital disparities in rural districts and students’ access to robust opportunities therefore can vary widely,” said NSBA Executive Director and CEO Thomas J. Gentzel. “Policymakers have a real opportunity to help level the playing field for rural students, however it’s going to require thoughtful solutions that are tailored to the unique conditions of specific communities.”
In its study of rural students CPE found that:
Child poverty runs higher in rural counties. Approximately 64 percent of rural counties experience high child poverty rates, compared to 47 percent of urban counties. Further, rural children are more likely to experience extreme and generational poverty.
Access to rigorous and advanced coursework is limited. Rural schools on average offer half as many advanced math courses as their urban counterparts.
Although rural students are more likely to obtain a high school diploma than urban students, they are significantly less likely to attend college or earn a degree.
CPE also points out significant hurdles faced by rural districts and schools:
Hiring and retaining qualified educators is particularly difficult, especially in STEM positions.
Inadequate funding is a constant challenge. Funding is typically tied to the size of the student population, creating severe operational challenges for districts with smaller student pools. Also, transportation costs can be extensive in counties where students need to be bused long distances.
Internet access and virtual learning are a challenge as both rural students and their schools contend with slow or no internet connectivity.
“Rural schools face many of the same challenges as their urban counterparts – high poverty and inadequate resources among them,” said Patte Barth, Director of the Center for Public Education. “Yet as our report shows, the proposed solutions for metropolitan settings, such as school choice and extended time in school, don’t necessarily serve the unique circumstances of less-populated communities. Clearly, the nation needs a specific focus on policies and practices that will improve outcomes for the one-fifth of its children who attend rural schools.”
“Every student deserves the opportunity to receive an education that prepares them for future success, whether they live in an urban, suburban, or rural community,” said Gentzel. “This means recognizing the unique challenges facing rural districts and confronting them head on with actions aligned with the research.”
DES MOINES – Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise today convened members of a new team that will review and recommend statewide standards for computer science education.
The Computer Science Standards Review Team has been established as part of Senate File 274, which former Gov. Branstad signed into law in 2017. The legislation encourages computer science in every Iowa school, establishes voluntary computer science standards and creates a computer science professional development incentive fund to help prepare teachers.
The review team is an extension of the Computer Science Education Work Group, which met last year. That group’s recommendations in November included immediately convening a team to begin reviewing computer science standards.
“Computer science is a basic skill in today’s economy, and the goal behind this new law is that every Iowa student will have had computer science before they graduate from high school,” Wise said. “One of the ways we can ensure high-quality instruction in computer science is to set high-quality standards for what students should know and be able to do.”
Today’s meeting included discussion of state and national context with regard to computer science standards, as well as a review of conceptual guidelines for computer science education.
In the coming months, the review team will seek public feedback and offer recommended standards to the State Board of Education for consideration. If adopted, the computer science standards will be optional for school districts.
When the standards-setting process is complete, Wise hopes to make available the professional development incentive fund. This would allow school districts to reimburse their teachers for participation in professional learning with the goal of preparing to teach computer science. The fund’s availability is contingent upon a state appropriation.
A list of team members is available on the Computer Science Standards Review Team webpage.
The team’s meeting schedule is as follows:
Dates:
February 7
March 8
April 17
May 17
Location:
Grand View University
Student Center
2811 E 14th St
Des Moines
Schools from all three counties have earned honors for their students’ academic achievements.
The Delaware Department of Education today named 15 schools 2017 Recognition Schools, two of which also were designated as National Title I Distinguished Schools. Each school will receive an $8,000 award. Funding for the awards comes from the state’s School Improvement funds. Additionally, there are four Schools of Continued Excellence that were honored as Recognition Schools last year and had outstanding performance again this year. These schools are not eligible for a financial award again until 2018.
“I congratulate the students, educators and families whose hard work and support led to these achievements,” Secretary of Education Susan Bunting said. “These school communities have provided educational programs and created school cultures that allow students to thrive. We must learn from what is working well in these buildings and replicate these successes across our state.”
National Title I Distinguished School awards are presented by the National Association of State Title I Directors. Recognition School awards were created by legislation passed by the Delaware General Assembly in 2009. The awards are given (a) to schools whose students are performing at an exceptionally high level, particularly those schools with large percentages of students coming from low-income households and (b) to schools that have succeeded in closing the achievement gap for students such as low-income students, students from minority groups and students with disabilities.
The winning schools have discretion in deciding how to spend their award money to benefit their students and school as a whole. As in years past, each school will appoint a committee (with administration, teacher, support staff and parent representation) to determine how the award will be used.
Two of the schools are National Title I Distinguished School awardees chosen for exceptional performance. National Title I Distinguished Schools are Title I schools that met national criteria and have not been Title I Distinguished school awardees in the past two years.
Recognition Schools are chosen for exceptional performance and/or closing the achievement gap.
Schools that have received state awards during 2016 and continue to qualify for Reward or Recognition School distinction in 2017 are named Schools of Continued Excellence to recognize their sustained accomplishments. They will be eligible for funds again next year if they meet the Reward or Recognition School qualifications.
The 2017 winners are below:
National Distinguished Title I Schools and Recognition Schools
Allen Frear Elementary School, Caesar Rodney School District
South Dover Elementary School, Capital School District
Recognition Schools
H. O. Brittingham Elementary School, Cape Henlopen School District
Brookside Elementary School, Christina School District
Forwood Elementary School, Brandywine School District
Georgetown Elementary School, Indian River School District
Georgetown Middle School, Indian River School District
William B. Keene Elementary School, Christina School District
Lake Forest Central Elementary, Lake Forest School District
Lake Forest South Elementary, Lake Forest School District
Maple Lane Elementary School, Brandywine School District
Mispillion Elementary School, Milford School District
North Smyrna Elementary School, Smyrna School District
Positive Outcomes Charter School, Camden
Selbyville Middle School, Indian River School District
Schools of Continued Excellence
W. Reily Brown Elementary School, Caesar Rodney School District
Lake Forest East Elementary, Lake Forest School District
Lake Forest North Elementary, Lake Forest School District
Jennie E. Smith Elementary School, Christina School District
This past fall I had the opportunity to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands, twice — first, in October, and two weeks later, in the company of Secretary DeVos. There, I saw firsthand the wholesale destruction left by back-to-back hurricanes. The experience was both humbling and uplifting.
During my first visit, I joined the Commissioner of Education for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Dr. Sharon McCollum, on a car trip around the Islands. On our way, she noticed the owner of a damaged wholesale club store — he was outside, combing through inventory, trying to salvage any goods that Hurricanes Maria and Irma had spared.
Pausing our scheduled tour, Dr. McCollum stopped the car in front of the store. She began negotiating the sale of cleaning supplies to be used in some of the many schools under her care. Simply getting students physically back to school is a monumental undertaking, she said: they shouldn’t have to fear getting sick from mold and the like once they’ve returned to the classroom.
Her goal that day — as it is every day — was to return a sense of normalcy to the more than 14,000 students whose lives and studies were interrupted by the powerful storms. I learned that, these days, such encounters are an integral part of Dr. McCollum’s day-to-day work: staff told me she can often be found out in the field, exploring the Islands in search of supplies and other resources to help students get back to school and engaged in learning again.
This is a fundamental objective on the Islands, where the scale of devastation from the storms defies description. Surveying the damage by military helicopter, I was overwhelmed by what I saw. Roofs had been ripped off houses; stores destroyed; roads impassable. School facilities that had once been home to fine arts and music — integral parts of the culture and education on the Islands — are gone forever, with many well-loved instruments, such as the region’s iconic steel drums, lost.
A group of lawmakers has told President Donald Trump that new funding for improving school facilities is “essential for advancing student achievement” and should be a part of any broader infrastructure spending plan.
Did you know that game-based learning is gaining popularity in education as more young people and adults learn from games in and out of the classroom? Well-designed games can motivate students to actively engage in content that relates to coursework, and to master challenging tasks designed to sharpen critical thinking and problem solving, as well as employment and life skills.
Nearly 20 percent of the country’s students are enrolled in rural schools, yet are not provided the same focus in national policy or research as students in urban and suburban school districts. “Out of the Loop,” a new report from the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA), Center for Public Education (CPE), finds that poverty, isolation and inequities are exacerbated for rural students by the lack of attention to the unique needs of this considerable student population.
