|
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Right Test Preparation Materials
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 of the Education Research Report, 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!! 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 Georgia 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 Georgia report: http://www.all4ed.org/publications/wcwc/Georgia_wc.pdf Graduation Test Scores Continue to Rise Georgia's high school students continued to make steady progress on all sections of the Georgia High School Graduation Test, State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox said Thursday. Overall, students showed gains on the science and social studies tests and maintained high achievement levels on the English language arts and mathematics tests. The results are for 11th graders who took the graduation tests for the first time this spring. "The graduation test results demonstrate that our students are continuing to improve in all areas," Superintendent Cox said. "I'm especially encouraged to see continued gains in science, an area where our progress was stagnant for many years." About 78 percent of test-takers passed the science test on the first try -- up two points from the 2005-2006 school year. Since 2004-2005, the pass rate on the science test has increased seven points. "Our science teachers are doing a great job and are using our new curriculum -- the Georgia Performance Standards -- to boost student achievement," Superintendent Cox said. "At the state level, we continue to provide support in the form of master science teachers who are working in the schools with teachers and sharing best practices every day." In Social Studies, the pass rate jumped to 91 percent, an increase of two points. It is the first time the pass rate for social studies has been above 90 percent. The pass rates in English and mathematics held steady at very high levels: 98 percent in English and 95 percent in mathematics. Superintendent Cox said she was also very encouraged that the achievement gap between the performance of white students and minority students continued to shrink. Since 2003, African-American students have closed the gap in all four subject areas, most notably by 7 points in science and 8 points in social studies. Hispanic students, since 2003, have also closed the gap in all areas, most notably by 14 points in science, 9 points in social studies and 8 points in English language arts. "All boats are rising, and I know that if we continue down the path of high expectations for all students, then that gap will get smaller and smaller," the Superintendent said. Superintendent Cox said she realizes that there are some areas where students are still lagging behind, especially for Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners. "Everyone is working very hard to help all of our students be successful. That work needs to continue and be ramped up," she said. "The good news is we are moving in the right direction, and I am confident that will continue." 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 Technology for Teaching grant recipients-Georgia Cook Primary School, Adel Building Transitions from High School to College and Careers For Georgia’s Youth This report is based on the Georgia Education Forum held May 8, 2006. Sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College and the Southern Regional Education Board, and supported by the U.S. Department of Education, the forum focused on the goals of the College and Career Transitions Initiative. The report details the outcome of the forum and suggests actions Georgia can take to improve students’ transitions from high school to postsecondary studies and careers. To see report: http://www.sreb.org/programs/hstw/publications/2007pubs/07V14_CCTI_georgia.pdf Two Georgia Youth Honored for Volunteerism at National Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C. Two Georgia students, David Mulcahy, 18, of Roswell and Jonathan Peacock, 14, of Alma were honored in the nation’s capital for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2007 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from Indianapolis Colts quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning at the 12th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. David and Jonathan were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Georgia last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week’s recognition events. David started in 2002 with the idea of helping just one underprivileged youngster receive referee training, but he didn’t stop there. To date, he has raised more than $3,500 in donations from churches, businesses, family and friends to pay for referee courses, fees, uniforms and other equipment for dozens of young people. He identifies suitable candidates for his program, recruits mentors for them, arranges transportation to classes, assists with tutoring if needed, and helps place his newly trained referees in positions at area soccer clubs. He recently persuaded his high school soccer team to sponsor eight kids, and the Georgia Soccer Association to provide 25 free spaces in its referee classes. David is now providing advice to a similar program in Florida. “In attempting to give pride and a sense of accomplishment to others, I realize that I have done the same for myself,” he said. Jonathan, a member of the Bacon County 4-H and an eighth-grader at Bacon County Middle School, spent three months planning and preparing a time capsule to help celebrate his community’s centennial last year. When the head of Alma’s centennial committee asked him to help make the town’s celebration more memorable, Jonathan thought about a time capsule and began doing research. He found a company to provide an aluminum capsule canister, and delivered a Power-Point presentation on his plan. With $1,000 from the committee, Jonathan purchased the capsule and bought a newspaper ad asking the public for ideas on what to put in it. He then collected things such as photos, a telephone book and technology items, carefully packed them into the canister, injected nitrogen to preserve the contents, and organized a ceremony to bury the capsule under the town’s centennial square. “When people living here in 2106 open it, they will be able to see what the town is like now,” said Jonathan. Atlanta Public Schools Human Resources Policies The Atlanta Public Schools has contracted with Evergreen Solutions, LLC to conduct a review of specific human resources policies within the school system. The policy review is confined to two specific policies - the policy governing the hiring of personnel and crediting for years of service by hiring into the range of the position; and the policy governing the promotion of staff and the upward grade and range movement awarded to employees within the school system upon promotion. While conducting this study, Evergreen Solutions has been tasked with the following:
Eighteen Schools Named Finalists for Intel Schools of Distinction Awards Elementary, Middle and High Schools Honored for Innovative Programs Supporting Student Achievement in Math and Science Two Georgia schools have been named as finalists 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.
Science Excellence – The finalist schools provide a rich science curriculum incorporating hands-on investigative experiences that prepare students for 21st century jobs. Programs encourage student achievement in sciences and engineering, while simultaneously helping students to become knowledgeable consumers of news and data in order to be active and informed citizens. Programs are designed to meet the needs of all students, incorporating a variety of instructional strategies, and meeting rigorous education industry standards and assessment benchmarks.
Three winners – one elementary, one middle school and one high school – will be selected in each of the two categories. To honor their extraordinary commitment to educational excellence and innovation, each winning school will receive a $10,000 cash grant from the Intel Foundation and an award package including curriculum materials, professional development resources, hardware and software valued at more than $160,000 per school. Award sponsors include Agilix1, BlackBoard1, Dell1, DyKnow1, eInstruction1, FutureKids1, LearnStar1, Panasonic1, Pitsco1, Riverdeep1, Scantron1, Schoolnet1 and Smart Technologies1. Representatives from the winning schools will attend an awards gala in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 4 at which one school from this year’s honorees will be named “Star Innovator.” The Star Innovator school will receive an additional $15,000 grant from the Intel Foundation as well as additional products and services from the sponsors, bringing the value of Star Innovator award to more than $200,000. The school winning this award must have a comprehensive program incorporating innovative and effective use of technology, engaging parents and the community in students’ education, fostering professional development and teamwork, and delivering consistent achievement of high academic standards. For more information about the Intel Schools of Distinction Awards, visit www.schoolsofdistinction.com. Carroll County School District Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'AA' rating to the Carroll County School District GA's (the district) bonds. Proceeds from the bonds will finance various capital needs of the district, including real estate acquisition, construction of thee new schools and numerous improvements and additions to existing facilities. Fitch affirms the underlying 'A+' rating on approximately $11.5 million of outstanding GO bonds. The Rating Outlook is Stable. Projected state funding to the district for fiscal 2007 totals $73.6 million, covering forecasted maximum annual debt service (MADS) by a very strong 4.58 times (x). For districts participating in the program, state aid should provide at least 1.5x historical coverage of MADS to provide protection against fluctuations in district intergovernmental revenues. The district's underlying credit strengths include its solid financial position and very rapid amortization of debt. The rating also incorporates the below average resident income levels throughout the county as well as potential long-term student enrollment growth pressures resulting from a planned large-scale residential development. While the planned development will yield positive growth to the county's tax digest, Fitch believes the project, which is expected to include approximately 25,000 new homes to be phased in over a 30-year period beginning in 2008, will pressure the district's capital planning efforts in the coming years. The 'A+' underlying rating also incorporates the strong legal protections securing this general obligation issue. Debt service will be payable first from the district's receipts of a special local option sales tax (SPLOST) for school construction (interest is capitalized through January 2008). The district's SPLOST receipts will be deposited by the state directly to the trustee, and debt service costs must be covered by trust holdings annually before additional funds are released for use in approved construction projects. Approximately 84% of voters recently approved an additional five-year extension of the SPLOST and the current GO financing during a March 2007 referendum. The current SPLOST expires on Dec. 31, 2007. Revenue from the sales tax will be apportioned to the district and two independent school systems located within the county according to a student enrollment ratio. The district will receive a fixed, 75.3% of total revenue over the ensuing five-year period. The current offering will mature in 2013, immediately before the expiration of the recently-approved SPLOST. Carroll County is located in northwest Georgia with Alabama to its western border and metropolitan Atlanta immediately to the east. Population growth has been strong, increasing 23% since the 2000 census to 107,325 through 2005. Enrollment currently totals approximately 15,082 students and has grown by an average of 2.8% annually over the past five years. Projected enrollment figures are not available from the district. Resident wealth levels are below those of the state and nation, and the county's unemployment rate of 4.5% through February 2007 equals the national average and measures slightly above the state and Atlanta metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The district's financial position is solid, characterized by stable operations and healthy reserve levels. The district ended fiscal 2006 with a healthy undesignated, unreserved general balance of $14.7 million, equal to 12.3% of general fund spending and transfers out. The district's informal goal is to maintain a general fund balance in the range of 12%-14%. Despite continued reductions in state aid on a per pupil basis, the district expects to close fiscal 2007 with only a nominal decline in the general fund balance. State revenue sources generated approximately 60% of district general fund revenues in fiscal 2006, making the district somewhat vulnerable to fluctuations in state funding. Growth in the tax digest has been solid, averaging 7.3% annually over the last five years. Overall debt levels are moderate at $1,398 per capita and 3% of taxable assessed valuation (TAV). Proceeds from the SPLOST, including general obligation bond proceeds, as well as state support, are expected to fund nearly all the district's capital needs over the next five years. Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'AA' rating to the DeKalb County School District GA's (the district) (GO) bonds. Projected state funding to the district for fiscal 2007 totals $359.7 million, covering forecasted maximum annual debt service (MADS) by a very strong 3.86 times (x). For districts participating in the program, state aid should provide at least 1.5x historical coverage of MADS to provide protection against fluctuations in district intergovernmental revenues. Additional protection for bondholders is derived from the district's covenant to not incur additional indebtedness unless state funding for the 12 consecutive months preceding the issuance of additional debt provides at least 2.0x coverage of MADS for any succeeding year on any outstanding bonds and proposed bond issuance. DeKalb County is located in northwest Georgia and includes a small portion of the city of Atlanta. Population growth has been minimal, increasing 1.8% since the 2000 census to 677,929 through 2005. Enrollment currently totals approximately 100,187 students and has grown by an average of 1.1% annually since 2000. Resident wealth levels in the county are above those of the state and nation, and the county's unemployment rate of 4.2% through February 2007 is slightly below the state and national averages, but equal to the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area (MSA). |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
