News Archive: 2008
January 2008
RESOURCES & REPORTS
Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades
This practice guide, from the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, formulates evidence-based recommendations for teaching literacy to English language learners (ELLs) in the elementary grades based on the current body of studies for each area. The authors evaluated the effect sizes of interventions to measure their impact on programs and practices. The recommendations involve areas such as curriculum selection, sensible assessments for monitoring progress, and reasonable expectations for student achievement and growth, which would be helpful for curriculum directors at the time they make decisions about policy related to literacy instruction for ELLs in elementary grades. This resource pertains to the category: ELL, Grades K–3.
Encouraging Girls in Math and Science, Center on Instruction
This National Center for Education Research (NCER) practice guide brings together the best available evidence and expertise to provide educators with specific and coherent evidence-based recommendations on how to encourage girls in the fields of math and science. This resource pertains to the following categories: Mathematics, Grades K–12; Science, and Grades K–12.
National Council of La Raza's 2007 Report: Hispanic Education in the United States
Hispanic students are a significant and growing proportion of the United States student population. This statistical brief provides a summary of the key data concerning this growing segment of students.
February 2008
NEEAC Staff Attended the 3rd Annual Conference "Leveraging Resources: A Joint Meeting of OESE Comprehensive & Equity Assistance Centers and OSEP Technical Assistance & Dissemination Projects"
NEEAC Director Sharon Lloyd Clark, attended the OESE/OSEP 3rd annual "Leveraging Resources" conference, on February 13–14, in Washington, D.C. The conference focused on creating collaboration between the OESE Comprehensive Centers, Equity Assistance Centers, and the OSEP Technical Assistance & Dissemination Projects to help state and local education agencies build capacity to implement No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
EVENTS
National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) Annual Conference, February 6–9, 2008
NABE held its annual conference on February 6–9, 2008, at the Tampa Bay Convention Center, Tampa, Florida. The title of the conference was: "Honoring Our Roots and Expanding Our Horizons—Bilingualism for All." The four-day conference featured: internationally renowned keynote and featured speakers; dynamic and state-of-the-art concurrent sessions; major exhibitors and career fair; and networking opportunities to exchange ideas, experiences; successes, and challenges.
RESOURCES & REPORTS
The Secondary Literacy Instruction and Intervention Guide
This 2007 guide, developed by the Stupski Foundation, provides an overview of the Content Literacy Continuum (CLC), a replicable district-level model of instruction to meet the differentiated needs of struggling adolescents.
Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas: Getting to the Core of Middle and High School Improvement
This report from the Alliance for Excellent Education describes issues that must be addressed as students move beyond achieving basic reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills to more advanced literacy skills that will enable them to succeed in academic content areas.
This resource pertains to the category: Reading, Grades 6–12
Download the report
From State Policy to Classroom Practice: Improving Literacy Instruction for All Students
The National Association of State Boards of Education developed this guidance document about state policies and programs that lead to actual instructional changes in the classroom—including actions that must be taken at all levels: state, district, school, and classroom—to impact instructional practices and improve student reading skills.
This resource pertains to the category: Reading, Grades K–12
Download the guidance document
Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: a Guide for Principals
This "quick start" guide for principals of both middle and high schools identifies three goals for secondary school literacy initiatives and provides elements of instruction required to meet these goals. It then outlines the critical elements of a school-level literacy action plan.
Teaching All Students to Read in Elementary School: A Guide for Principals
This "quick start" guide for elementary school-level instructional leaders is based on scientific research on reading and reading instruction as well as on studies of successful schools and interviews with successful principals. It includes critical elements of an effective reading program in elementary school, critical tasks for principals as literacy leaders, and special considerations for reading instruction after the third grade.
Curriculum-Based Measurement in Mathematics: An Evidence-Based Formative Assessment Procedure
This report describes Mathematics Curriculum-Based Measurement (M-CBM) including a brief history, basic procedures, implications for practice, and further resources. It also reviews the research that supports the use of M-CBM.
The Civil Rights Project, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
The Civil Rights Project is a leading organization devoted to civil rights research. Focusing initially on education reform, it has convened dozens of national conferences; commissioned over 400 new research and policy studies; produced major reports on desegregation, student diversity, school discipline, special education, dropouts, college access, and No Child Left Behind, and published twelve books. Its research has been incorporated into federal legislation, cited in litigation, and used to spur congressional hearings. The project was formerly located at Harvard University, but has since relocated to UCLA. More information about the Civil Rights Project 
is available online.
Cyber-Bullying Resource
The website StopCyberbullying.org offers information for students, parents, educators, and law enforcement officials about the growing problem of cyber-bullying — "when a child preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones." The site is a project of the non-profit organization Wired Kids, Inc., which works against all forms of cyberabuse.
March 2008
NEEAC Conducts No Child Left Behind Parent Workshop in North Kingston, Rhode Island on March 5, 2008
On March 5, 2008, NEEAC Equity Specialist Donalda Silva presented a workshop for parents at the Davisville Middle School in Kingston, Rhode Island on No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The workshop focused on the importance of NCLB to parents of native English-speaking students and parents of English language learners. A conversation followed the workshop discussing practices parents can adopt that will help children become more successful students.
NEEAC Staff Attend "Parent Empowerment: Counseling Parents in Positive Child-Rearing Practices" Conference, March 14, 2008
This comprehensive workshop provided NEEAC Specialists with more techniques to eliminate common maladaptive behaviors seen in students' home and educational environments. NEEAC staff learned how to empower parents and other authority figures with functional and reliable steps for behavior management through reinforcement methods. Our staff also gained more techniques to address behaviors such as tantrums, noncompliance, oppositional defiance, lying, and insensitivity; skills that will allow them to coordinate the most effective behavioral plan between parents, teachers, and counselors.
Teacher Training in Nashua, New Hampshire on March 19 and 20, 2008
Equity Specialist Donalda Silva delivered a two-day professional development training for teachers in Nashua, New Hampshire on March 19 and 20, 2008 at the Fairgrounds Elementary School. The training focused on "Culturally Responsive Teaching for K–5 Content Area Teachers" and addressed the key factors affecting second language acquisition. Ms. Silva also discussed how cultural, language, and learning differences affect classroom organization and instruction. On March 19, Ms. Silva presented information on NCLB in Portuguese, targeting the parents of English language learners of Brazilian families who are new to Nashua.
The Collaborative Workshop Series "Assisting English Language Learners: Developing a Framework for Differentiating Learning Differences from Disability" Continues
Program Planning Specialist Phyllis Hardy, continues presenting a series of workshops on "Assisting English Language Learners: Developing a Framework for Differentiating Learning Differences from Disability" for educators in the Northern Rhode Island Collaborative and the Massachusetts Teachers' Education Collaborative. These workshops allow educators and administrators to consider the everyday processes, decisions, and communication paths related to assisting English language learners (ELLs). During these sessions, Ms. Hardy presents a framework for implementing both Teacher Support Team processes and culturally responsive evaluations, when working with ELLs to distinguish learning difficulties from learning disabilities. Related resources are listed below under the category "State Guidance Resources."
EVENTS
MABE's One-Day "Institute for Practitioners of Diverse Learners: Current Approaches in Special Education and Dual Language Education" on March 7, 2008
The 2008 Massachusetts Association for Bilingual Education (MABE) one-day institute, held on March 7, 2008 in Leominster, Massachusetts, carried the theme "Current Approaches in Special Education and Dual Language Education." The special education strand in this institute focused on two overlooked, yet critical, factors reflecting the complexities in the referral and placement process of English language learners: authentic parental involvement and culturally responsive assessment practices. The dual language program strand focused on assessment and instructional practices within a bilingual/biliterate context.
Convening for Student Success III: Teaching and Learning Across Generations Conference, March 13 & 14, 2008
Students, educators and support staff convened to discover ways to address the needs of today's Native American high school and college students. This conference explored ways to transform the challenges of generational diversity into opportunity and promise. The conference was held at the Hyatt Tamaya Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico.
Download the conference description
RESOURCES & REPORTS
Instructional Time in Elementary Schools: A Closer Look at Changes for Specific Subjects
This 2008 report examines the magnitude of changes in instructional time in elementary schools in the years since NCLB took effect in 2002. It is also a follow up report to Choices, Changes, and Challenges: Curriculum and Instruction in the NCLB Era that was issued by the Center on Education Policy in July 2007.
The State of Black America, 2007
Published since 1976, The State of Black America is the annual Urban League report that addresses the issues central to Black America in the current year. The publication is a barometer of the conditions, experiences and opinions of Black America. It examines black progress in education and other relevant areas. The publication forecasts certain social and political trends and proposes solutions to the community's and America's most pressing challenges. More information is available on the National Urban League website .
STANCE Against Homophobic Bullying
The website Stance.org.uk offers information for educators as well as parents and teachers on homophobic bullying. STANCE provides a comprehensive resource pack, full of materials that address homophobic bullying. STANCE includes staff training materials (Book 4), information for pupils (Book 5), curriculum resources (Book 6), policy guidance (Book 2), materials to promote a positive social environment (Book 3) and much more. More information is available on the STANCE website .
State Guidance Resources, Related to the NEEAC Workshop "Assisting English Language Learners: Developing a Framework for Differentiating Learning Differences from Disability"
These documents, collected from different state departments of education, provide valuable insight on working with English language learners to distinguish learning difficulties from learning disabilities.
Download Resources:
April 2008
"The PIP Strategy" for Reducing Bullying and Harassment
Equity Specialist Randy Ross presented "The PIP Strategy" to the Greenfield Public Schools in Massachusetts on April 11, 2008. The strategy uses the "Prevention-Intervention-Protection" plan that Ms. Ross developed to reduce bullying and harassment. This training introduces district educators and administrators to the issues of school bullying and harassment as well as provides various school strategies.
White Mountains Regional School District and Civil Rights
New Hampshire's White Mountains Regional School District (WMRSD) School Board has adopted the civil rights policy recommended by the New England Equity Assistance Center. As a result, NEEAC provided technical assistance to the district on implementing the new policy. NEEAC also directed specific attention to the district's mission of improving school climate. Equity Specialist Randy Ross continued her work with WMRSD on April 16, 17, and 18, 2008.
Parent Strategies to Enhance School Achievement of English Language Learner (ELL) Students
Equity Specialist Donalda Silva gave an informational session at the North Kingstown SOL-PAC Parents' Night on April 23, 2008. The session was titled, "Parent Strategies to Enhance School Achievement of ELL Students." From this session, parents gained more information on how to help their children do better in school. Parents also learned about the types of language learner programs: English as a second langauge (ESL), transition bilingual, and dual language. They also discussed the length of time students should stay in those programs. Schools or districts interested in NEEAC's professional development programs should contact us.
Developing an Understanding and Awareness of the Normal Process of Second Language Development
Equity Specialist Phyllis Hardy delivered trainings on second language development for general educators, language evaluators, and special educators at the Providence School Department. Through small group activities and research review, participants built a shared knowledge of second language development and behaviors. Participants experienced the challenges that English language learners face and explored how language proficiency and comprehension levels may vary in different contexts. Fostering sensitivity and awareness of first and second language development and behaviors helps teachers identify teaching and assessment practices that consider a child's English language proficiency.
Cultural Competency Training Series in Brookline, Massachusetts
Equity Specialist Randy Ross completed the "Race, Ethnicity, and Gender" module of the cultural competency professional development series for Brookline Public Schools. The entire training, "Strategies for Developing Educators' Cultural Competency," contained three modules: Culture and Human Development; Race, Ethnicity, and Gender; and Language, Culture and Schooling. The most recent module focused on deepening the educators' understanding of how race, ethnicity, and gender impact identity development, school climate, and teacher expectations.
EVENTS
Creating Balance in an Unjust World: Conference on Math Education and Social Justice, April 4–6, 2008
Educators, parents, students, activists, and community members came from around the country for workshops, panels, networking sessions, action groups, school visits, and more. Conference participants explored the challenges and opportunities to work for social and economic justice through math education. The conference took place April 4–6 at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus. For more information, visit the conference website .
13th Annual New England Conference on Multicultural Education
The 13th Annual New England Conference on Multicultural Education (NECME), co-sponsored by The Education Alliance at Brown University, accepted proposals through April 11, 2008. This year's conference, held on October 8, 2008, carried the theme "Best Practices in Multicultural Education." More information is available on the NECME website .
RESOURCES & REPORTS
The ABCs of Culture in the Classroom
This professional development resource, featured on the Teaching Tolerance website, addresses the cultural gap that often spans between students and teachers. "The ABCs of Culture" uses video and personal narratives to examine classroom stereotypes and provides educators with strategies to build bridges across cultures. View the ABCs of Culture in the Classroom .
News We Lose: Black Student Gains
The National Education Association (NEA) reports on the educational progress of black students that are often overshadowed by the work yet to be done. While the NEA does not seek to minimize the challenges, they do support the assertion that "Black progress over the past decade has been nothing short of spectacular."
LGBT Parents Involved in, Excluded from K–12 Schools; Children Often Harassed
Current estimates indicate there are more than seven million Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) parents with school-age children in the United States. However, the first comprehensive report to examine the school experiences of LGBT families demonstrates the lack of support for and the exclusion of LGBT families. Involved, Invisible, Ignored: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Parents and Their Children in Our Nation's K–12 Schools was released by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, in partnership with the Family Equality Council and COLAGE.
A Cultural, Linguistic, and Ecological Framework for Response to Intervention with English Language Learners
This new resource from the National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCREST) addresses Response to Intervention (RTI) by identifying guiding questions for service providers who determine whether assessment and instruction are linguistically and culturally appropriate for the student's level of language proficiency. In addition, this brief considers student progress in relation to peers with regard to language and cultural background. The authors have also created a flowchart to help practitioners to implement RTI interventions for students who are English Language Learners.
The George Lucas Educational Foundation
The George Lucas Educational Foundation serves to provide detailed articles, studies, documentary segments, expert interviews, and links to hundreds of resources that show best practices in action. The site's "Priority Topics" allow educators and administrators to browse articles and videos related to Assessment, Community Partnership, Emotional Intelligence, Mentoring, Parent Involvement, Professional Development, Teacher Preparation, and more. For more information, visit the Edutopia website .
Roots of Empathy
Roots of Empathy (ROE) is an award winning, evidence-based classroom program that has shown dramatic effect in reducing levels of aggression and violence among school children while raising social/emotional competence and increasing empathy. Within the ROE curriculum, a classroom adopts a participating neighborhood parent and infant for the school year. The class then participates in activities with the infant, using their growing attachment to learn about the needs of others and themselves. ROE teaches children valuable skills in: Emotional Literacy, Perspective Taking, Male Nurturance, Inclusion, Infant Safety, Violence Prevention and more. For more detailed information, visit the ROE website .
May 2008
Culturally Responsive Teaching Workshop in Nashua, New Hampshire
Equity Specialist Donalda Silva presented a workshop entitled "Culturally Responsive Teaching—Perspectives in Second Language Learning and Teaching" at the Fairgrounds Elementary School in Nashua, New Hampshire on May 9. This workshop was the follow-up session to the NEEAC supported professional development training day that took place in March 2008.
NEEAC Delivers Category 1 Trainings on Second Language Learning and Teaching
During the month of May, NEEAC staff offered two Category 1 trainings to teaching staff in Massachusetts. On May 7, Equity Specialist Phyllis Hardy trained teachers of the Conservatory LAB Charter School in Brighton, Massachusetts. A second Category 1 training was presented to Somerset Public High School teachers by Equity Specialists Donalda Silva and Ms. Hardy on May 27. Schools or districts interested in NEEAC's professional development programs should contact us.
NEEAC Works with Weston Public Schools on "Assisting English Language Learners: Developing a Framework for Differentiating Learning Differences from Disability"
Equity Specialist Phyllis Hardy presented "Assisting English Language Learners: Developing a Framework for Differentiating Learning Differences from Disability," for teachers in Weston Public Schools, Massachusetts. The training provided an opportunity for educators and administrators to consider the processes, decisions, and communication paths of everyday practice when assisting English language learners (ELLs). A framework was presented for implementing a culturally responsive Child Study Team process when working with ELLs to distinguish learning difficulties from learning disabilities.
EVENTS
Illinois Association for Cultural Diversity (IACD) 15th Annual Dealing with Difference Institute, May 20–21, 2008
"Playing Games to Awaken Multicultural Consciousness" was the theme of the two-day "Dealing with Difference Institute" at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. The institute supports the idea that games and simulations can be exceptionally effective in helping individuals recognize the challenges and rewards of communicating with people across cultures. Whether simple ten-minute exercises or elaborate simulations that call for a commitment of several hours, play can make situations and issues "real" in ways that theoretical or directly didactic instruction does not. For more detailed information, visit IACD's website .
RESOURCES & REPORTS
Cities in Crisis: A Special Analytic Report on High School Graduation
A new analysis by America's Promise Alliance finds that our nation is facing a dropout crisis with the largest cities paying the biggest price. Every 26 seconds, one American high school student drops out of school, which adds up to more than 1.1 million students per year.
America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline Report
This powerful report from Children's Defense Fund documents America's "Cradle to Prison Pipeline," where tens of thousands of children and teens are pushed onto the fast track to prison each year. This national crisis exists at the intersection of poverty and societal neglect where we witness the unfortunate truth that all children's lives are not valued equally. As Connie Curry and Julia Cass report in Part II, countless children, especially poor children "already are in the Pipeline to Prison before taking a single step or uttering a word."
Still Looking to the Future: Voluntary K–12 School Integration
This Second Edition of "The School Integration Manual: Voluntary K–12 School Integration" from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Civil Rights Project at UCLA provides valuable guidance and information on how communities and school districts can promote racial diversity and address racial isolation in schools nationwide.
MAAP—"Mapping the African American Past"
Columbia's Center for New Media Teaching and Learning and Teachers College have launched, MAAP , a web-based teaching tool that uses video, audio, historic maps and more to bring African-American history in New York City to life. Curriculum and lesson plans are available on the site and adapted for students in different grades. The lessons are organized into themed modules: The development of the African-American community in New York City, Resistance and self-determination in the face of slavery and African-American contributions to building New York City. The MAAP website also acts as a portal to glossaries of concepts and terms, profiles of historical events and figures, videotaped commentary by faculty experts, film and music clips, and historical photographs and artwork.
Writing, Technology and Teens
A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project addresses a major question in education: What connects teens' scholarly writing and the informal e-communication they exchange on digital screens? A considerable number of educators and children's advocates worry that the quality of writing by young Americans is being degraded by their electronic communication, with its lackadaisical spelling, punctuation and grammar, and acronymic shortcuts. Others wonder if this return to text-driven communication is instead inspiring a new appreciation for writing among teens.
June 2008
NEEAC works in Brighton, Massachusetts on English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes for ELLs
Equity Specialist Donalda Silva worked with K–8 content area teachers on "English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and ELL Outcomes." Ms. Silva's training served as an introduction to English language learner (ELL) Benchmarks, Outcomes, and the Four Proficiency Levels of ELLs. The training also reviewed how teachers can facilitate responsive learning environments and engage in reflection and analysis of their classroom practices. This Category I training took place June 4–5, 2008.
NEEAC works with the Rhode Island South County ELL Network
Equity Specialist Phyllis Hardy worked with the South County ELL Network to prioritize goals for improving programming and services for English language learners (ELLs) in their school districts. The districts involved included Barrington, North Kingston, South Kingston, Westerly, East Greenwich, Jamestown, Narragansett, Chariho, and Exeter. Selected staff were asked to complete a "Survey for Reflection and Action" to identify their district's strengths and needs regarding ELL programs and develop appropriate strategies for action. Schools or districts interested in NEEAC's professional development programs should contact us.
EVENTS
Exploring New Horizons for Equal Educational Opportunity June 11–12, 2008
The Education Justice's 8th annual conference brought together plaintiff litigators, education advocates, and policy experts to engage in a multi-faceted exploration of education reform. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. John H. Jackson, president & CEO of The Schott Foundation for Public Education and the luncheon address was given by the Hon. John M. Greaney, associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Participants attended various informational sessions such as: "Empowering Advocates to Transform Education Policy," "Ensuring Equal Opportunity in a Standards and Testing World," and "How Can Low-wealth Communities Get and Keep Teaching Quality?" The conference took place at the SEIU Building in Washington, D.C. More information is available on the Education Justice website .
American Council on Education (ACE) Symposium, "Bridging the Gap", June 25–26, 2008
The symposium, "Bridging the Gap: Cultivating Collaboration Between Internationalization and Multicultural Education" was an effort to begin a national dialogue on using strategies to maximize the common ground between internationalization and multicultural education for institutional and student benefits. The event took place June 25–26, 2008 at the Westin Washington, D.C. City Center Hotel. More information is available, on the ACE website .
RESOURCES & REPORTS
Building Collaboration Between Schools and Parents of English Language Learners: Transcending Barriers, Creating Opportunities
A new practitioner's brief by Beth Harry and Robin Waterman explores the roles of the parents of English language learners (ELLs) in American public schools. The brief discusses the high value that ELL parents place on their children's education as well as the sometimes stagnated desire to participate more fully in school/parent activities such as attending parent-teacher conferences and helping with homework. Language barriers and lack of cultural familiarity are shown as being a few of the challenges that impede effective parent-school collaboration.
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE)
NCPIE serves to advocate for parent and family involvement in their children's education in the hopes of enhancing the education of America's youth. NCPIE conducts activities that involve the coalition's member organizations and provides resources to help promote parent and family involvement.
The resources are available on the NCPIE website .
Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equity in Education
This report from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) takes a comprehensive look at girls' educational achievement during the past 35 years. "Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equity in Education" pays special attention to the relationship between girls' and boys' progress. Analyses of results from national standardized tests, such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the SAT and ACT college entrance examinations, as well as other measures of educational achievement, provide an overall picture of trends in gender equity from elementary school to college and beyond.
July 2008
EVENTS
Partnerships for Indian Education Conference, July 8–10, 2008
In an effort to foster communication, collaboration, and cooperative strategies, The Partnerships for Indian Education Conference allowed federal, state and tribal agencies and national organizations to share promising practices and effective programs in the areas of students, schools, family, and community. Each day focused on practices and resources that programs can utilize or adapt to their community. The national conference brought together stakeholders to address the unique needs of American Indian and Alaska Native children. For more detailed information, visit the Office of Indian Education website .
National Council of La Raza Annual Conference, July 12–15, 2008
The National Council of La Raza's (NCLR) Annual Conference featured presentations from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, Reverend Al Sharpton, President of Mexico Vicente Fox, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Reverend Jesse Jackson, former President Bill Clinton, and many more. The conference was held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. For more information, visit NCLR's website .
Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education (AGELE) 29th Annual Conference, July 27–30, 2008
AGELE's annual conference was co-sponsored by The Education Alliance at Brown University. The conference took place July 27–30 at the Boston Marriot Peabody Hotel. Highlights included sessions on Multicultural Issues, Academic Achievement, Civil Rights Compliance, No Child Left Behind, Harassment Prevention, and more. NEEAC staff gave the following presentations: "A Discussion of Gender-Based Cultural Competencies for a Professional Development Model" presented by Dr. Maria Pacheco (director of the Equity and Diversity Division), "Contemplative Education: A New Frontier in Brain Research and Social-Emotional Learning" presented by Randy Ross (equity specialist), and "Growing Up a 'Girl' in the Islands—Multicultural Perspectives of Gender Development" presented by Equity Specialists Phyllis Hardy and Donalda Silva. For more information, visit AGELE's website
RESOURCES & REPORTS
Has Student Achievement Improved Since 2002? State Test Score Trends Through 2006–07
Using testing data from all 50 states, this new study from the Center on Education Policy (CEP) addresses two key questions: has student achievement increased and have achievement gaps narrowed since the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted in 2002. A comparison is also made between state test results and results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. More information is available on the Center on Education Policy website .
Community and School Commitment Important to Student Success
A new study from the University of Oklahoma suggests that community involvement and a school's commitment to student excellence help determine whether rural schools are high- or low-achieving. These factors appear to outweigh indicators that matter in urban high schools, such as ACT scores and dropout rates.
The Role of Schools in the English Language Learner Achievement Gap
This new report from the Pew Hispanic Center examines the role that schools play in the achievement of English language learners (ELLs). Using three U.S. Department of Education databases, this report explores the large achievement gap between ELLs and other students.
October 2008
The New England Equity Assistance Center (NEEAC), one of ten regional programs created under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, has received a 1.7 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue its work assisting schools and districts as they grapple with equity issues related to race, gender, and national origin. Brown University’s NEEAC has responded to discrimination related requests from federal, state, and local government agencies for the past fifteen years. The NEEAC provides high quality technical assistance that promotes policies and practices that insure that all children have access to quality education and equitable opportunity for excellent instruction. Read the full story. Schools or districts interested in NEEAC's professional development programs should contact us.
EVENTS
The 13th Annual New England Conference on Multicultural Education
The New England Equity Assistance Center was one of the sponsors for the 13th New England Conference on Multicultural Education in Hartford, Connecticut on October 8, 2008 in Hartford, Connecticut. This year's theme was "Best Practices in Multicultural Education." Highlights included sessions on Cultural Competence, School Climate, Increasing Student Achievement, English Language Learners, and Best Teaching Practices. The keynote speaker was Carlos E. Cortes, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of California, Riverside. For more information, visit NECME's website .
Social Science Research Institute's Annual Symposium on Family Issues: Development of Hispanic Children in Immigrant Families, October 23–24, 2008
One in five children in the U.S. has immigrant parents and the children of immigrant parents are the fastest growing component of the child population. This demographic trait, documented throughout the nation, helps guide the political, economic and educational movements in communities and impacts the broader social contexts in which children develop. This symposium examined: (1) the social ecologies of children in immigrant families (2) the role of families in children's successful adaptation (3) the implications of the school, community, policy, achievement contexts and (4) the role of health policies in children's health and well-being. For more information, visit the Population Research Institute's National Symposium on Family Issues webpage .
November 2008
5th Annual Conference of the International Bullying Prevention Association, November 6–8, 2008
This year's International Bullying Prevention Association's annual conference theme was "New Horizons: The Latest In Bullying Prevention and Research." The conference presented evidence-based practices and resources that can assist school personnel and community practitioners in creating safe learning and neighborhood environments that are free from bullying behaviors, thereby nurturing the potential of all students. For more information, visit the International Bullying Prevention Association website .
