NEA Priority Schools Conference Highlights Promising Practices

By Amy Buffenbarger NEA’s Priority School’s Campaign has brought together more than 300 teachers, education support professionals, union leaders, district administrators, community members and parents, representing 36 Priority Schools from 17 states, in New Orleans for a three day forum to share lessons learned, challenges and strategies for success in school transformation efforts. Declaring “the [...]

World Teachers’ Day – October 5

World Teachers’ Day, celebrated around the world on October 5, is an occasion to celebrate the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels. October 5 marks the anniversary of the signing in 1966 of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. World Teachers’ Day 2011 will be celebrated around the theme of ”Teachers for Gender [...]

“Education and the Economy” Back to School Tour – September 7-9

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and senior Department officials will visit states throughout the Midwest for “Education and the Economy,” the Department’s second annual back-to-school bus tour from Sept.7 to Sept. 9. The tour will kick off in Pennsylvania before heading to states around the Great Lakes, including Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois.

Ezra Jack Keats Minigrants – September 15

Public school libraries and public libraries that host programs encouraging literacy and creativity in children can apply for an Ezra Jack Keats Minigrant of $500. Applications are due September 15, 2011.

Captain Planet Foundation Grants – September 30

The Captain Planet Foundation is awarding grants ranging from $250 to $2,500 for innovative programs that empower children and youth around the world to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. The application deadline is September 30, 2011.

Grandparent Involvement

Statistics show that thousands of grandparents  are becoming more involved in their grandchildren’s education. “Some experts predict grandparents’ increasing presence and the challenges they face could change the way schools and districts approach the basics of parent involvement, from enrolling children in school to making educational decisions and volunteering at school.” Source: Education Week

Design Squad Nation Webinars – August 10 & 25

Join Design Squad Nation for two free webinars that will explore hands-on engineering challenges, video profiles of engineers, online games, and other resources to inspire the next generation of engineers. The first webinar, Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Engineers, is August 10 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. EST. The second, Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers with Design Squad [...]

Duncan Calls for $60,000 Starting Teacher Salary

In remarks last week at a conference of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called for “higher salaries, improved performance-based teacher accountability, and a higher bar for prospective students to enter schools of education.” Source: Education Week‘s Politics K-12

Voucher Bills Introduced in More States

School voucher bills were introduced in a record number of states this year. “As of mid-July, at least 30 states had introduced bills that would use taxpayer dollars to send children to private schools,” compared to nine last year. Source: Associated Press

A Struggling School on the Path to Success

By John Rosales It’s one of the comeback stories of the year among certain educators in North Carolina. Three years ago, Oak Hill Elementary School in High Point had one of the lowest academic performance scores in the state. Two years ago, still floundering, Oak Hill became one of the lowest-performing schools in the nation, [...]

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