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In addition to those series already correlated to states' standards, we're now currently in the process of redesigning and aligning our reading comprehension and mathematics test prep workbooks to your state's standards, making them even better for your test preparation needs. NEW! Extended, Informative Teacher's Introductions NEW! Introductory Guided Practice Section for Each Grade Level in Reading Comprehension NOW! Questions are formatted and phrased to mirror the actual state test, giving your students better familiarity with what they can expect to see on their state exam. Request FREE REVIEW COPIES Today!! Visit this link: http://www.qworkbooks.com/samplerequest.html EDUCATION NEWS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT While you can still read full-text versions of our back issues from April 2006–January 2007 for free (http://www.queuenews.com/EduResearchRpt.html), you must now subscribe for access to new full-text versions, including the articles in this issue. An annual subscription is available for $145. And as an added bonus, you'll continue to automatically receive your state's e-newsletter, a $48 value, for free!! These newsletters will be published by AICE, Inc. an affiliate of Queue, Inc. Call 800-232-2224 to place your order with a credit card. Once you have subscribed, you will be emailed the protected URL for the full-text version of the Education Research Report. Details can be found here: http://www.queuenews.com/subsstate.html For back issues of this newsletter, as well as current and back issues of our state newsletters and U.S. Education News, please go to our NEWLY-REDESIGNED website: http://www.queuenews.com/ Texas Ranks 32nd in the Nation for Teacher Pay Teacher Pay Is Insufficient To Meet Rising Debt, Housing Costs in Many Areas Texas ranked 32nd in the nation for its average teacher salary in 2004-05, according to the American Federation of Teachers’ (AFT) annual teacher salary survey released today. Nationally, anemic teacher salary growth continues to lag behind inflation and precludes many teachers from finding affordable housing and paying off student loans. The average teacher salary in Texas for the 2004-05 school year was $41,009, up 1.3 percent from the previous year. Texas was ranked 16th in the nation for beginning teacher salary, at $33,775, an increase of 3.1 percent from 2004. The average teacher salary nationally in 2004-05 was $47,602, a 2.2 percent increase from the previous year. This falls short of the rate of inflation for that year, which was 3.4 percent. Between 2003 and 2005, the buying power of the average teacher salary decreased by almost $800. The 2005 salary survey also examines the impact of rising housing costs and student loan debt payments on teachers in America’s 50 largest cities. The study concludes that the incomes of mid-career teachers in these cities will limit them to purchasing low-priced homes. In cities such as Seattle, Oakland, Los Angeles and San Francisco, many career teachers will never be able to realize the middle-class dream of home ownership. Other states in the Southwest region ranked in the AFT survey as follows: New Mexico was ranked 37th in the nation, at $39,391; Arizona was 40th, at $39,095; and Oklahoma was 47th, at $37,879. Connecticut had the highest average teacher salary, at $57,760, while South Dakota reported the lowest, at $34,039.Technology Counts 2007, a joint project of Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, tracks data from the 50 states and the District of Columbia in several critical areas of technology policy and practice: access, use, and capacity. The report assigns grades to the states for their performance in those three categories. State grades are not comparable with those in last year’s report because of changes in two access indicators and improvements in the scoring for indicators related to teacher and administrator licensure. Texas scores: Access to technology B To see the full Texas report: http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/tc/2007/TX_STR2007.pdf Breaking the School to Prison Pipeline Texas Appleseed has worked in collaboration with Advocacy, Inc. and the Texas Public Policy Foundation to produce a brief aimed at improving school discipline policies. A quick glance at the sobering statistics surrounding youth and Texas schools' overuse of Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) quickly dissolves any question one may have of why interest in the School-to-Prison Pipeline is so high amongst legislators. A study conducted in conjunction with eight school districts in the state of Texas, five refusing to participate, revealed that:
The high dropout rates associated with these Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs strongly correlate with entry of youths and adults into the criminal justice system, producing a school-to-prison pipeline. According to the policy brief, entitled "Keeping Schools Safe While Reducing Dropouts: Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline", 31% of youths were dropouts before entering the Texas Youth Commission and more than 80% of Texas prison inmates are dropouts. Furthermore, most of the students that have been referred to DAEPs over the course of five school years from 2000 - 2006 have committed nonviolent offenses and are disproportionately African-American, Latino and Special Education students - making DAEPs virtual dumping grounds for students whom teachers deem undesirable. Statistics clearly show that not only do DAEPs, as they are presently administrated, fail to make mainstream schools safer places for Texas youth to learn, but they also open gateways to even greater social issues at the state level. Texas Appleseed recommends increased parental involvement, improved TEA monitoring and higher DAEP requisites as possible keys to solving the behavior management issues faced within Texas schools. Click the following link to read the report: To see a related article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4697821.html Northside Independent School District Honored for Significant Gains in Student Achievement Five urban school districts are finalists for this year’s Broad Prize for Urban Education, an annual $1 million award given to honor urban school districts making the greatest progress in raising student achievement nationwide. This year’s five finalists are:
The Broad (pronounced “brode”) Prize for Urban Education honors urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among ethnic groups and between high- and low-income students. The winner of The Broad Prize, to be announced on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., will receive $500,000 in scholarships for graduating seniors. Each of the four finalist districts will receive $125,000 in scholarships. “After decades of decline, American public education continues to struggle compared with other industrialized nations, yet these five urban school districts have proven that with hard work, it is possible to raise student achievement in our inner cities,” said Eli Broad, founder of The Broad Foundation. “Other urban districts nationwide can learn a great deal from what is working in these five districts.” For the first time since the Prize began in 2002, a former winning district has returned to the competition as a finalist: Long Beach Unified School District, Calif., which won The Broad Prize in 2003. Under the rules of the competition, a winning district is not eligible for three years following its win, making this year the first year that Long Beach has again been eligible. “Every year, The Broad Prize highlights urban school districts whose commitment to raising achievement for all students is helping more children reach and realize their potential,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. “These districts are proving that every child, regardless of race, income, or zip code can learn and achieve to high standards. By shining the spotlight on such worthy examples, The Broad Prize helps show that progress in our most challenging, inner city schools is not only possible but already occurring all across the nation.” Past winners include:
This is the third consecutive year that the New York City Department of Education has been a finalist and the second year in a row for both Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Bridgeport Public Schools. This year, 100 of the largest urban school districts nationwide were eligible for The Broad Prize. The five finalist districts were selected based on a rigorous national review of data compiled and analyzed by MPR Associates, Inc., a leading national education research consulting firm. A review board of 14 prominent educational leaders evaluated the data and selected five finalist districts that stood out among large urban districts in areas such as:
Over the next two months, teams of educational researchers and practitioners will conduct site visits in each finalist district to gather qualitative information, interview district administrators, conduct focus groups with teachers and principals, and observe classrooms. The teams will also talk to parents, community leaders, school board members and union representatives. A selection jury of 14 prominent individuals nationwide from business, industry, education and public service will then review both the performance data and the qualitative site visit reports to choose the winning school district. For more information about The Broad Prize, this year’s finalists and the review board, please visit www.broadprize.org. United Copper Donates $100,000 of Curriculum to Denton-Area Schools United Copper Industries of Denton, Texas, has donated $100,000 to purchase 18 Ignite! Learning Curriculum On Wheels™ (COW), a classroom curriculum solution for 9 middle schools in three Denton-area school districts. The goal of this grant is to provide Sanger, Little Elm and Denton independent school districts technology-based instructional content designed to improve student engagement in learning while enhancing teacher-led instruction in the classroom. The Science and Social Studies COWs are aligned to state standards and come preloaded with a complete academic year of daily use curriculum covering all middle school grades, including lesson plans, classroom and student activities, unit tests as well as media to engage students resulting in active learning. Each lesson leverages two to three media pieces that comprise animation, video, images, text and music to reinforce key material while fostering critical thinking through the lesson plans and activities. The Denton-area program will allow the schools to serve about 3,900 students per semester. Vicky Christenson, director of secondary curriculum and staff development for Denton ISD, said, “We want to express our gratitude to United Copper and all its employees. They are the parents of the kids we teach, and we are excited about putting their generous donation to work in the classroom. We have some of the most dedicated teachers in the state, and this gift is a sign of the community’s appreciation and gratitude for their hard work.” Each middle school in three of the districts will receive one Science and one Social Studies COW for a total of 10 COWs to the Denton district, two to the Sanger district and six to the Little Elm Independent School District.Houston Independent School District Joins More Than 600 Texas Districts in Using Vantage Learning’s WebCCAT Assessment Tool WebCCAT System Now Used by 45,000 Teachers Statewide to Help Educate Students in More Than 3,500 Schools, and Prepare Them for State Knowledge and Skills Testing Vantage Learning announced that the Houston Independent School District has adopted the Web-Based Comprehensive Curriculum Assessment Tool (WebCCAT), an online assessment system, customized for Texas, that measures students’ abilities in language arts, math, science, and social studies. Now more than 45,000 Texas educators in 3,500 schools statewide are using WebCCAT to build skills on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum standards, and to improve scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. Houston ISD adopted WebCCAT, which has been used in Texas since 2004, and was developed in conjunction with Region 10 Education Service Center, based on customer testimonials and positive results reported by other districts. Features include creating and printing grade-level and subject-appropriate paper tests, searching a repository of over 33,000 test items, in both English and Spanish, based on TEKS/TAKS labels and keywords, and printing corresponding test answer keys containing TEKS/SE and TAKS labels. WebCCAT’s ease of use and its ability to match quality test questions with the students’ level of education helps teachers prepare for the state’s TAKS test. WebCCAT also includes the ability to create and administer online and offline tests instant score reporting, online test results, and online student portfolios, which help teachers track students’ scores and progress, areas for improvement, and at-risk students. For a complete list of features, go to http://tinyurl.com/2sydj5. “Teachers from districts who are members of WebCCat have seen a marked improvement in their students’ enthusiasm, test scores, and ability to learn,” says Lindy Haley, Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator with the Education Service Center, Region 6, in Huntsville. “This system helps them create and administer tests more easily, and gives teachers more flexibility because assignments are aligned directly to the state’s TEKS requirements. Teachers have hugged and thanked us in the trainings we have done with Houston for introducing them to this system. It honestly saves them time and is an excellent tool for student improvement. We are very proud of WebCCat and are happy to support it for the Houston and Huntsville area.” Learn more at www.VantageLearning.com.Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA) VBrick Systems, Inc. is sponsoring the TxDLA Don Foshee Memorial Grant. TxDLA awarded the 2007 Don Foshee Memorial Grant to Roxanne Glaser, distance learning coordinator, Education Service Center Region 12 in Waco, Texas during the 10th Annual TxDLA Conference, held March 27-29, 2007 in Galveston Island, Texas. This marks the second consecutive year that VBrick has funded the Don Foshee Memorial Grant, which supports exceptional ideas that are delivered creatively through distance learning applications. Keeping with the spirit of TxDLA Founder Don Foshee, the grant is focused on leveraging Texas resources to develop innovative online education programs. Grant recipients receive $2,000 and present their project outcomes at the following year’s TxDLA conference. Ms. Glaser’s grant submission expands traditional reading programs to also include online collaboration for book theme discussions and videoconference Q&As with local subject matter experts for each of the three proposed books. The grant program will serve grades five through eight, will include reading and writing, and potentially integrate into social studies and science curriculum. “I’m honored to receive the Don Foshee Memorial Grant and am excited to initiate a program that combines independent reading with online discussion and interactive videoconferencing from experts across the county and state,” said Roxanne Glaser, distance learning coordinator, Education Service Center Region 12 in Waco, Texas. “I greatly appreciate the commitment by TxDLA and VBrick Systems to support new programs that engage students and promote education best practices.” “We are extremely pleased to provide a grant that embodies Don Foshee’s pioneering spirit and commitment to connecting our schools and communities with the best and brightest resources in Texas and across the globe,” said Kenneth Conn, president, Texas Distance Learning Association. “We thank VBrick for continuing to sponsor important distance learning initiatives that support our children and our state.” About The Texas Distance Learning Association The Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA) is a nonprofit association formed to promote the development and application of all distance learning applications and to implement effective distance learning strategies for Texans and other distance learning practitioners of the global community. Founded in 1996, TxDLA facilitates the sharing of information, services, expertise, research, and peer networking among its constituents. The organization is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is available online at www.txdla.org.Charter Schools Receive $65M in Donations KIPP Houston has raised $65 million. It is part of the Knowledge Is Power Program, a charter school network widely praised for its results with low-income students in its 52 schools nationwide. The $65 million is part of a $100 million campaign to support future growth for the school, which helps to educate underserved children. The funds will go toward KIPP's efforts to replicate its Pre-K through 12th grade educational model throughout Houston's underserved communities. Plans for growth are in direct response to the high enrollment demand. There is currently a 2,500-student waiting list for KIPP in Houston, according to the school. Through this campaign, KIPP plans to grow to a network of 42 public charter schools in Houston over the next 12 years serving 21,000 students. There are currently eight KIPP public charter schools in Houston serving more than 1,700 students. There are four middle schools, two elementary schools, one high school and one school for New Orleans evacuees. Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin started KIPP with 50 students in Houston in 1994. Four contributors have each pledged $10 million. Those include three Houston-based contributors -- Laura and John Arnold, Hines Interests LP and Houston Endowment -- and the Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.Edvance Research, Inc. Wins Texas Education Agency Early Childhood Contract Edvance Research, Inc. has been awarded a contract by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to conduct an evaluation of School Readiness Integration (SRI), an early childhood model currently being implemented in selected Texas communities, under the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM) grants. Edvance Research will determine short-term and projected long-term cost benefits of the TEEM program and will present research findings to TEA in late summer, 2007. "We are pleased that the Texas Education Agency has selected Edvance Research to conduct this important research that will examine School Readiness, one of the most important issues surrounding student achievement," said Dr. Dean Nafziger, chief executive officer of Edvance Research. “There is an increasing demand to evaluate education programs through rigorous research. Our organization provides rigorous research that moves the decision making from opinion to evidence, resulting in reliable insights that can be trusted,” continued Nafziger. The goals of SRI are to prepare all children to enter kindergarten on or above grade level and to remain on this level through access to the full array of public education services and to develop and implement an SRI model that is community-based and individualized to best serve each community. The contract, awarded through TEA’s competitive bidding process, commenced January 15, 2007 and will extend through August 31, 2007. The contract provides funding up to $374,556. Founded in 2005, Edvance Research, Inc. is a research enterprise, specializing in rigorous product and market research, specializing in the education and consumer markets. Edvance Research is dedicated to improving outcomes by supporting organizations in learning about evidence-based practices and using that information to improve their work and results. Edvance Research is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas www.edvanceresearch.comFitch Ratings has assigned an 'AAA' rating to Lewisville Independent School District, Texas' (the district) bonds. The rating reflects the district's success in planning for and managing enrollment growth and new facilities while recording consistently strong financial results. The district has generated a significant buildup in operating reserves in a financially challenging environment; this trend reflects the sound, conservative fiscal management that is a credit strength for the district. A new finance methodology for Texas public schools introduces an additional challenge that district administrators must address, along with its moderating tax base growth, declining state financial support and expanding enrollment. Located about 20 miles northwest of Dallas in Denton County, the district serves 10 growing residential communities. As the district's service area has matured, both enrollment gains and growth in taxable assessed valuation (TAV) have moderated. Enrollment growth rates have moderated to 3%-4% annually since fiscal 2004 compared with over 5% annual growth in the prior decade. Although the growth rate has slowed somewhat, projections still indicate that between 1,700 and 2,000 new students will enroll in the district annually. District facilities include 39 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, six high schools and two alternative learning centers. The district currently serves a student population of nearly 49,000 and district officials estimate reaching build-out in 10-12 years, with approximately 65,000 students. While TAV gains have also moderated, the district's fiscal 2007 TAV is solid at $18.9 billion, and the preliminary fiscal 2008 TAV suggests another $1 billion increase in value. Since fiscal 2002, TAV has grown at a compound annual rate of 7%, down markedly from the 15% average annual increases recorded over the previous five fiscal years. While slowing enrollment growth has offered a measure of relief, the district nonetheless has faced mounting spending pressures while contending with declining state financial assistance and slowing TAV growth. Despite these constraints, financial performance has been consistently strong. The district has reported operating surpluses in the each of the past eight fiscal years, building substantial reserves. Fiscal 2006 ended with better than expected results as increased revenues from several sources and a recapture payment received from the state's school finance system enabled the district to record an operating surplus of more than $13 million and an unreserved, undesignated general fund balance in excess of $110 million, or 35% of spending. Additionally, due to an increase in the wealth level for equalization purposes from $305,000 per student to $319,500, state education officials have informed Lewisville ISD that it is not classified as a 'property-rich' district and is not required to make wealth transfer payments for fiscal 2007. District officials adopted a balanced budget for fiscal 2007 after implementing budget cuts totaling about $6 million and levying at the compressed operations and maintenance tax rate of $1.33. Beyond fiscal 2007, the district anticipates using general fund reserves to balance operations; however, the district has adopted a formal fund balance policy requiring the maintenance of a minimum of $45 million in general fund balance reserves, equivalent to 14.4% of fiscal 2006 spending levels. The current offering is a refunding for an estimated present value savings of $4 million. The district has $87.7 million remaining authorization of the nearly $200 million in debt that was approved by an overwhelming margin at an election held in October 2005. The projects approved include a new middle school, technology improvements, maintenance projects, and various renovations and additions. In an effort to achieve cost savings from significant construction inflationary costs, officials have accelerated the bond program. The district expects to sell the remaining authorization in one to two installments in the next two years and plans to return to the voters in 2008 for another authorization to address additional capital needs. The district's debt service tax rate for fiscal 2007 was increased four cents to $0.31 per $100 of TAV and officials anticipate that this rate will increase by another five cents over the next several fiscal years due to the approved bond package. Typical of fast growing school districts, principal amortization is below average at 44% for the next 10 years. Direct debt ratios are above average at $2,636 per capita and 3.95% of TAV, and are expected to increase with additional capital needs associated with enrollment growth. Overall debt ratios are high at $4,853 per capita and 7.27% of TAV. Expanding service and manufacturing development continues to diversify the district's economic base, which historically has been primarily residential. Unemployment rates in Denton County are consistently below regional, state, and national averages and local wealth measures exceed state and national levels. |
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