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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 month's 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/ Understanding Florida High School Graduation Rates Graduation rates are a fundamental indicator of whether or not the nation’s public school system is doing what it is intended to do: enroll, engage, and educate youth to be productive members of society. In today’s increasingly competitive global economy, graduating high school is a critical step towards securing a good job and a promising future. Yet nationally, one-third of our students—about 1.2 million each year—leave high school without a diploma, and graduation rates for poor and minority students are even lower. The failure to graduate every child prepared for the 21st century has serious consequences for both individual students and the rest of American society. Yet, the unacceptably low graduation rates of America’s youth have been obscured for far too long by inaccurate data, misleading calculations and reporting, and flawed accountability systems. Nationally, and for each state, Understanding High School Graduation Rates illustrates the discrepancies in graduation rates reported by government and independent sources, examines why this is important, and describes three core policy areas that are fundamental to calculating, reporting, and improving accurate graduation rates:
Policies that meaningfully holds high schools accountable for improving student achievement on test scores and increasing graduation rates so that low-performing students are not unnecessarily held back or encouraged to leave school without a diploma. To see Florida report: http://www.all4ed.org/publications/wcwc/Florida_wc.pdf 2007 FCAT Scores for Third and 12th Grade The third grade results for the mathematics and reading portions of the 2007 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) show that Florida’s third graders made academic gains in mathematics, with 74 percent of students demonstrating mathematics skills at or above grade level, a two percentage-point gain over the previous year. This improvement shows a long-term mathematics skills gain of 22 percentage points since 2001. Florida has also experienced long-term reading progress. Since 2001, the percentage of third graders reading at or above grade level has grown 12 percentage points. However, the percentage of third graders reading at or above grade level this year declined from 75 percent in 2006 to 69 percent this year. Long-Term Improvement in Third-Grade Mathematics and Reading The FCAT was first administered to third graders in 2001 and the results from that initial administration continue to serve as the benchmark for long-term measurement of third-grade academic progression. Mathematics This year, the percentage of third graders demonstrating mathematics skills at or above grade level rose two percentage points as compared to last year. As the table indicates below, this improvement shows a steady long-term gain of 22 percentage points in mathematics skills since 2001. Yearly progress of Florida third graders demonstrating mathematics skills at or above grade level since 2001 is as follows:
Reading As indicated in the table below, the percentage of third graders reading at or above grade level is 12 percentage points higher than it was in 2001. Yearly progress of Florida third graders reading at or above grade level since 2001 is as follows:
“We remain firm in our commitment to providing continuing support for reading instruction in Florida schools through programs like summer reading camps, reading mentors, and principal and teacher training on the latest reading research,” added Commissioner Blomberg. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Crist and the Florida Legislature, we can continue and increase this level of support. The proposed budget, which will be voted on by legislators later this week, includes $10.7 million increase in funding for reading programs.” The FCAT is not the sole factor for determining a child’s promotion to fourth grade. Parents of third graders in need of additional remediation may learn more at www.justreadflorida.com. The options available to help third graders achieve their goals include:
Continued National Improvements in Third-Grade Mathematics and Reading Each year, a portion of the FCAT includes a nationally published test, known as the norm-referenced test (NRT), which is used to measure how Florida students are performing compared to students nationally. The Stanford 10 is the national norm-referenced test used in Florida and serves as an external validation of learning trends on the FCAT and compares Florida achievement to a national sample of students. In 2007, Florida’s:
12th-Grade Mathematics and Reading Scores Similar to last year’s 12th grade achievement, approximately eight percent of 2006-2007 high school seniors did not pass the tenth grade FCAT despite being on track to meet the GPA and credit requirements for graduation. While this performance trend has remained steady, education reforms implemented in the last decade are expected to have a positive impact on future graduating classes. Additionally, legislation passed last year that created new middle and high school reform measures will likely enhance these positive impacts even further. High school seniors and their parents who want to learn more about their options should visit www.FACTS.org. This Web site serves as Florida's one-stop student advising system and can help high school students understand their options during and after high school. Students can get all their information in one place, including information on admission to a four-year college, a two-year degree program at a community college, attending a career technical center, registering for military service or entering the workforce. FACTS.org provides access to complete transcripts and academic counseling online at no cost to students. Options to help students achieve their goals include:
FCAT Parent Network Parents can view their child's FCAT reading and mathematics scores on the Internet by logging on to the FCAT Parent Network at www.fcatparentnetwork.com using the log-in and password provided by their school. This secure site features detailed information on the meaning of the scores and provides resources to improve student performance in the future. Scores for third-grade students and students re-taking the test will be posted to the Web site on Friday, May 4, 2007. The Florida Department of Education continues to take steps toward increasing the transparency of the FCAT. Hundreds of printed and online resources related to the FCAT have been available for several years, including annual releases of sample questions and full-length tests. The full-length FCAT reading and mathematics tests were previously taken by students and include answer keys and the identification of the Sunshine State Standards being assessed. In the fall of 2007, new tests will be released for grades 5, 6, and 10 Reading and Mathematics, and grade 8 Science. This action will provide a released FCAT Reading and Mathematics test for every grade level assessed, including three versions of the grade 10 tests. To view school, district and state FCAT reports, visit http://fcat.fldoe.org/.~ Increased number of students scored 3.5 or higher on the test’s essay section ~ The results of the 2007 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Writing+ reflect an increase in the percent of students who scored 3.5 (on a scale of one to six) or higher on the essay portion of the test at all grade levels. The FCAT Writing+ results for students in grades 4, 8 and 10 include the traditional essay scores and the newer Writing+ scale scores. An essay score of 3.5 is the standard used in the grading of schools.
For the first time ever, FCAT Writing+ scores are being reported in terms of five achievement levels as adopted by the State Board of Education in January. The achievement levels are based on the total FCAT writing score, which combines multiple-choice questions and the essay.
Students also receive an FCAT Writing+ scale score, ranging from 100 to 500, which is a combination of the essay and the multiple-choice items. This score was reported for the first time in 2006. The 2007 statewide average scale scores increased in Grades 4 and 10 over the 2006 scores.
The class of 2010, or students who are in ninth grade this school year (2006-07), will be required to earn a passing score of 300 or higher on the FCAT Writing+ in order to graduate from high school. Although this requirement does not affect this year’s tenth graders, 49 percent of them met this passing standard. Districts have received an electronic data file of student writing scores. School districts and schools will be able to access electronic copies of their reports today. Printed reports, including individual student reports, school reports, district and state reports, will be delivered to school districts next week. Beginning this year, the FCAT Parent Network, a secure site that enables parents to view their child's FCAT scores online, will include FCAT Writing+ scores, which will be posted by 6:00 a.m. EDT on April 27, 2007. Parents may view their students’ scores via the FCAT Parent Network (www.fcatparentnetwork.com) using the secure login and password provided by their school. The Florida Department of Education continues to take steps toward increasing the transparency of the FCAT. Hundreds of printed and online resources related to the FCAT have been available for several years, including annual releases of sample questions and a release of "half tests" in 2001. Since 2005, the Department of Education has annually released full-length FCAT reading and mathematics tests, which have been previously taken by students. To view school, district and state FCAT reports, visit HP Awards More Than $7 Million in Education Grants to Schools in the U.S. and Puerto Rico Grants Promote Student Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math HP is awarding 172 K-12 public schools and two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States and Puerto Rico more than $7 million in mobile technology, cash and professional development. The grants, part of the 2007 HP Technology for Teaching grant program, are designed to improve student achievement through the innovative uses of technology in the classroom while encouraging student interest in careers in technology, engineering, math and science, including environmental science. During the 2007-2008 academic year, grant projects will affect nearly 42,000 students. Since 2004, HP has contributed a total of $36 million in HP Technology for Teaching grants to more than 650 schools worldwide. During the past 20 years, HP has contributed more than $1 billion in cash and equipment to schools, universities, community organizations and other nonprofit organizations around the world. “HP empowers students and teachers to succeed through innovative uses of technology and training,” said Bess Stephens, vice president, Philanthropy and Education, HP. “We invest in schools to increase educational attainment and contribute to the development of a skilled, diverse workforce in the future.” Since the inception of the HP Technology for Teaching initiative, grant recipients have reported a positive impact on teaching and student achievement as a result of the program. “The HP Technology for Teaching initiative is an exemplary comprehensive philanthropic education program,” said Leslie Conery, deputy chief executive officer, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). “As a result of the professional development, community building and HP’s commitment to sharing best practices, grant recipients are reporting a direct, positive impact on student learning.” K-12 grants HP is awarding nearly $4.1 million in cash and equipment to teams of five teachers at 130 K-12 public schools in the United States. Preference was given to schools serving low-income students and projects including a math, science or environmental component. The award package, valued at more than $31,000 for each team, will include five HP Tablet PCs, five multimedia projectors, five HP digital cameras, five HP Officejet All-in-Ones, software and accessories, and a cash stipend for each teacher. Teachers will also participate in a professional development program sponsored by HP and led by ISTE, during which they will receive customized mentoring and learning opportunities and will participate in an online learning community to share best practices. Grant recipients represent schools in 37 states and the District of Columbia. In many grant proposals, teachers and students plan to use mobile technology outside the classroom to learn about their environment and then enhance their learning inside the classroom through the Internet. 2007 HP grant recipients - Florida School Named Finalist for Intel Schools of Distinction Awards Elementary, Middle and High Schools Honored for Innovative Programs Supporting Student Achievement in Math and Science A Florida school has been named a finalist for the Intel® Schools of Distinction Awards. The annual program honors schools for implementing innovative and replicable math and science programs that produce positive educational results. Schools compete for $1 million in grants and awards from the Intel Foundation and sponsoring companies. The winners are announced in May 2007. The 18 finalists were chosen from public and private, as well as urban and suburban, schools that participated in the application and judging process. The finalists, representing a wide range of successful programs, in each category are: Mathematics Excellence – The finalist schools offer their students a rigorous, challenging and engaging program that teaches mathematics skills and how to apply them to solve real-life problems, approach projects as a member of a team, and communicate succinctly on the subject. The schools’ mathematics curriculum includes a variety of 21st century instructional strategies that incorporate critical thinking skills and hands-on experiences to ensure high levels of achievement for all students.
School Board of Manatee County, Florida Fitch Ratings has assigned an underlying 'A' rating to the School Board of Manatee County, Florida. The underlying 'A' rating and Stable Outlook reflects the district's solid economic base with ample employment opportunities and strong employment growth, low debt burden and manageable, fully funded capital needs, and the strong legal features of master lease-purchase agreements related to this issue, as well as all prior certificates. The rating also considers the tourism focus of much of the county as well as the stabilization of general fund reserves following notable deterioration in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. Financial performance is adequate and general fund reserves have returned to a level consistent with the rating category following substantial deterioration in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. A small $1.6 million deficit in fiscal year 2006 reduced reserves slightly to $11.2 million, equal to 3.9% of spending, in excess of the district's goal to maintain an unreserved general fund balance of at least 3% of revenues. The district's fiscal 2007 budget projects a $3.3 million deficit but district officials report that year-to-date performance relative to the budget is positive and expect to end the year with at least break-even operations without the use of reserves. The district's fiscal years 2007-2011 capital improvement plan (CIP) totals $542 million, net of debt service and transfers, and includes capital costs needed to meet mandatory class size reductions. The district is coterminous with Manatee County (estimated population of 306,779), located on the western coast of central Florida. Fitch rates the county's general obligations 'AA+'. The district has 47 schools and 42,000 students. Enrollment growth averaged 3.2% annually between 2000 and 2006 but declined slightly in 2007. District officials expect growth to be limited over the next several years and attribute the declining growth rates to the rising cost of homes in the county over the last several years; the median home value in the Sarasota - Bradenton - Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) increased 121% between the fourth quarter of 2000 and the fourth quarter of 2005 while the median family income increased just 17% over that timeframe. While tourism-related activities and services dominate the economic characteristics of the economy, some diversification is derived from manufacturing, healthcare and retail. Tropicana Products, Inc., a unit of PepsiCo, relocated its headquarter out of the county but continues to maintain a significant presence employing 1,600 in 2006, Beall's Department Stores recently located their headquarters in the county and increased employment from 800 to 2,100, and two hospitals employ 2,600. Unemployment rates are well below the state and national averages, reflecting local employment opportunities as well as access to the greater Tampa Bay MSA.
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