NAEA

	March 5-7, 2018 | Dallas, TX The National Alternative Education Association (NAEA) would like to invite you to submit a proposal to present at the 2018 National Alternative Education Association Conference, March 5-7, 2018 at the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria in Dallas, TX. the-naea.org Call for Proposals open thru November 15, 2017

Volume  3,   Issue 10        October 2017 Newsletter Editor:  Dr. John E. Holmes www.the-naea.org Principal Communities of Practice Inspire Learning in Texas District  August 2017 Read Document >>> NAEA Board Dr. Pam Bruening President  Kathleen Chronister Vice President Pat Conner Treasurer Dr. Ja'net Bishop Secretary Kay Davenport Past President   Jacqueline Whitt, Dr. John E. Holmes, Dr. Ed Lowther, Denise Riley, Richard Thompson, and Dr. Amy Schlessman Board Members   Connect with NAEA! Connect with your regional director today  NAEA Twitter Chat #NAEACHAT Monthly Twitter Chats - (30 Minute)  WHO : All Stakeholders in the field of Alternative / Non-Traditional Education WHAT : A monthly Twitter Chat focused on NAEA's Exemplary Practices   WHERE : On Social Media - Twitter WHEN : The last Tuesday of each month / 9:00 PM EST / 30 Minute Chat WHY : To build capacity and awareness HOW : Twitter Follow @NAEA_Hope on Twitter and join in using #NAEACHAT   Newsletter Submissions Have an article you'd like us to include in the NAEA newsletter? Submit an article to Dr. John E. Holmes, Editor at holmesj007@yahoo.com using “NAEA News” in the subject line. Read a previous issue here!  2018 NAEA Video Contest!   “JOINING HANDS TOWARD ONE DESTINY”    Tell the story of your alternative program in a 2-5 minute video or rap. This contest is open to middle and high school students who attend alternative education programs. Your video should communicate the message and mission of your program and relate it to the annual national NAEA conference theme “Joining Hands Toward One Destiny.” Entries may express this theme in any genre or shooting style, but must be submitted by link containing a YouTube URL. THE PRIZES: Winners will receive the following cash awards: First Prize—$400.00     Second Prize—$300.00     Third Prize—$200.00 Up to five Honorable Mentions—$100 each ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED by DECEMBER 18, 2017. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED January 26, 2018. Entrants must be currently enrolled in and attending a middle or high school alternative education program at the time of the submission. Entries will be judged on the following criteria: overall impact effectiveness of conveying theme artistic merit technical proficiency A panel will make the final selection of winners. Judges’ decisions are final.   THE RULES: Entrants must be enrolled in and attending alternative education classes. Entries must interpret some variation of the theme, “Joining Hands Toward One Destiny”.  All forms must be signed and may be photocopied. Entries must be 2-5 minutes in length. Entrants who do not obtain and cannot provide written documentation of all necessary rights and permissions for music, images, video clips, and any and all other non-original aspects of their entries will be disqualified. Entries must be submitted by a link to a YouTube URL. Each entry must be labeled with the entrant’s name, school mailing address, and telephone number, as well as the title and length of the entry. Parent permission must be signed for every student participating in the video who is under the age of 18. All entries must be postmarked by DECEMBER 18, 2017. All entries become the property of NAEA. Entries cannot be returned. Judges’ decisions are final. All prizes need not be awarded. Full Rules and Information here >>> The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies Jennifer Gonzalez | October 2015 | Cult of Pedagogy When I worked with student teachers on developing effective lesson plans, one thing I always asked them to revise was the phrase “We will discuss.” We will discuss the video. We will discuss the story. We will discuss our results. Every time I saw it in a lesson plan, I would add a  note: “What format will you use? What questions will you ask? How will you ensure that all students participate?” I was pretty sure that We will discuss actually meant the teacher would do most of the talking; He would throw out a couple of questions like “So what did you think about the video?” or “What was the theme of the story?” and a few students would respond, resulting in something that looked  like a discussion, but was ultimately just a conversation between the teacher and a handful of extroverted students; a classic case of Fisheye Teaching. The problem wasn’t them; in most of the classrooms where they’d sat as students, that’s exactly what a class discussion looked like. They didn’t know any other “formats.” I have only ever been familiar with a few myself. But when teachers began contacting me recently asking for a more comprehensive list, I knew it was time to do some serious research. So here they are: 15 formats for structuring a class discussion to make it more engaging, more organized, more equitable, and more academically challenging. If you’ve struggled to find effective ways to develop students’ speaking and listening skills, this is your lucky day. I’ve separated the strategies into three groups. The first batch contains the higher-prep strategies, formats that require teachers to do some planning or gathering of materials ahead of time. Next come the low-prep strategies, which can be used on the fly when you have a few extra minutes or just want your students to get more active. Note that these are not strict categories; it’s certainly possible to simplify or add more meat to any of these structures and still make them work. The last group is the ongoing strategies. These are smaller techniques that can be integrated with other instructional strategies and don’t really stand alone. For each strategy, you’ll find a list of other names it sometimes goes by, a description of its basic structure, and an explanation of variations that exist, if any. To watch each strategy in action, click on its name and a new window will open with a video that demonstrates it. Continue to Article >>> School turnaround  relies on steady leaders: Transformation starts with a vision, and getting others to believe in its potential October 2017 | Tim Goral | District Administration Linda Cliatt-Wayman is the turnaround queen. As the principal who changed two low-performing and violent Philadelphia high schools into safe spaces focused on learning, Wayman developed a program of high expectations for students and staff, and intense professional development. In 2013, after serving as an assistant superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia, she took on the turnaround challenge as principal at the notorious Strawberry Mansion High School, which she describes in her book Lead Fearlessly, Love Hard: Finding Your Purpose and Putting It to Work(Jossey-Bass, 2017). As a result, test scores went up every year, and the school was removed from the federal Persistently Dangerous Schools list. Wayman left Strawberry Mansion in June to start a nonprofit for disadvantaged youth. “I’m trying to make them understand they are important. They don’t see themselves as worthy,” she says. “They never saw themselves outside of poverty. They never see themselves going to college. They never thought about advocating for themselves. We’re going to change that.” Why did you leave a district administrative role to become principal of Strawberry Mansion High School? I was assistant superintendent for all the high schools in Philadelphia. I had previously been principal of both FitzSimons High School and Rhodes High School. In 2013, both those schools were going to be merged with Strawberry Mansion—a three-way merger of high schools, the first of its kind in Philadelphia. It was my charge to find a principal for this new combined school. Not one person applied. I went to my boss and said, “Listen. I can’t find a principal. I’ve looked everywhere.” I said, “I think the reason I can’t find a principal is because I’m supposed to go.” I’m a spiritual person, and one day I was walking into the school, and I really believe I heard the voice of God say, “You go.” Teachers report weaker relationships with students of color, children of immigrants New York University | September 2017 | NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development | Via Science Daily Summary: The relationship between teachers and students is a critical factor for academic success. However, a new study finds that teachers report weaker relationships with children of immigrants and adolescents of color.   The relationship between teachers and students is a critical factor for academic success. However, a new study by NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development finds that teachers report weaker relationships with children of immigrants and adolescents of color. "Teachers' relationships are hugely important for all students, but particularly so for groups that are marginalized. Yet, the students who could most benefit from relationships with their teachers are the ones that have the least access to strong teacher-student relationships," said Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, assistant professor of international education at NYU Steinhardt and author of the study, published online in the American Journal of Education. Since 2014, public school classrooms have reflected a demographic shift in the United States, with the overall number of Latino, African-American, and Asian students surpassing the number of White students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Students of color now make up the majority of students, but inequities between students of different backgrounds have continued to plague the education system. Existing research highlights the importance of teacher-student relationships on academic indicators such as test scores, classroom engagement, and interest in learning. Teachers not only play a pivotal role in developing students' knowledge and skills, but can also serve as role models. But research also presents a mixed view of student-teacher relationships with students of color and immigrant youth. Though these groups of youth may be especially reliant upon their teachers, many also report discriminatory experiences or few interactions with staff. In the current study, Cherng studied two aspects of teacher-student relationships: whether teachers form equally strong relationships with students from different backgrounds and whether these relationships shape students' academic expectations for themselves. Using the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, a nationally representative sample of high school students and their teachers, Cherng analyzed teacher surveys for English and math high school teachers. Relationships were measured three ways: how familiar a teacher reported being with a student, whether the teacher perceived a student to be passive or withdrawn, and engagement in conversation with students outside the classroom. These surveys were linked with academic and demographic data for their students. For the analysis examining teacher-student personal relationships and later academic outcomes, a measure of student academic expectations was used, which gauged whether a student expected to go to and complete college.   Continue Reading >>> 24th Annual Conference on Alternative Education March 5, 2018–March 7, 2018  Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria   Registration is now open!   Conference Registration: $325.00   Call for Proposals (Open thru 11/15/17) Hotel Reservations: Book by 2/16/18 For the Group Rate   Keynote Speakers    Mr. Reginald B. Beaty              President/Co-Founder of Foundation For    Educational Success (FFES) Reggie was a difficult to reach youth growing up in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Early on, Beaty found out the critical role that mentors play in a youth’s life. He was expelled from school at the age of 14, ran with gang-oriented crowds, carried weapons, and was ultimately incarcerated. Beaty found a mentor in Bobby Garrett, director of West End Academy, a nontraditional school in the Communities In Schools of Georgia system. As a result of Garrett’s intervention, Beaty graduated from West End Academy, earned a bachelor’s degree from Stillman College, and a Master’s in Aerospace Education from Middle Tennessee State University.  Beaty built a stellar 20-year career in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He earned the Leo A. Codd national “Instructor of the Year” for colleges and universities, presented by President George W. Bush; and “Civic Man of the Year” for his work with youth in Oklahoma. For 10 years Beaty served as Chief Operating Officer with Communities In Schools of Georgia, where he helped to build the nontraditional school's Performance Learning Centers and Georgia’s “Graduation Coaches” initiative.    Mr. Tony L. Owens         Director/Co-Founder of Foundation For Educational Success (FFES) Tony has devoted more than 21 years of his life to working with difficult-to-reach youth. He is a proven educator and administrator, having successfully directed alternative schools and social programs that address students in at-risk situations. Owens earned his bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University. He is recognized for his development and implementation of programs for difficult-to-reach youth, which emphasize improving attitudes, self-esteem, setting goals, expanding comfort zones, and preparing for reentry into mainstream settings. Owens spent a bulk of his career directing, coordinating, and overseeing schools/programs with Communities In Schools of Atlanta and the state of Georgia.       Dr. Darryl S. Adams Retired Superintendent for Coachella Valley USD, CA Dr. Darryl S. Adams, retired Superintendent of Schools for the Coachella Valley Unified School District, began his career as a professional musician, singer/songwriter, and music publisher in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. After 10 years in the music business, he moved to Southern California where he was hired by the Los Angeles Unified School District as Music Teacher and Band Director. He has served as an educational leader as middle school assistant principal, high school assistant principal, high school principal, central office director, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Memphis; his Master's of Education Administration degree from California State University, Los Angeles; and his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Azusa Pacific University. In addition, he earned his Urban Superintendent's Academy Certification from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education and AASA (the American Association of School Administrators).   Dr. Adams is widely recognized as The Rock and Roll, Hip Hop, and Soul Superintendent and Thought Leader advocating that Every Child Be Connected and provided with a 21st Century College, Career and Citizenship education program! He now provides unique keynote concerts, a new concept in educating and edutaining audiences worldwide. He also provides excellent consulting services, professional business and organizational leadership development programs, and various training workshops and seminars!    Analysis: More Mississippi students graduate without passing tests The Clarion-Ledger | October 2017 | Jeff Amy   Mississippi's improving high school graduation rate is one piece of good news in a state where the education picture has often been dismal.   But new numbers could indicate those improvements are not as substantial as they seem.   The key question revolves around changes that the state approved in 2014 to graduation requirements. Before then, every student had to pass standardized subject area tests in algebra I, English II, biology I and U.S. history. The idea was to make sure students were learning the basics no matter where they attend school.   "You do want to know when that student gets that diploma, that the student learned something," said Nancy Loome, executive director of the Parents Campaign. The lobbying group has historically supported graduation exams. The subject area tests began in 2003, replacing an older exit exam called the Functional Literacy Exam, which had been given since the 1980s.   But many students didn't graduate because of the tests, and superintendents pressured legislators to ditch them. To block lawmakers from killing the tests entirely, the state Board of Education voted in 2014 to allow students to graduate if they could show alternate measures of proficiency. They include scores of 17 better on parts of the ACT college test, grades of C or better in a college course the student took while in high school, or certain scores on military entrance or career technical exams, combined with a career certification.   Right now, students can also pass if they fail a subject-area test but had high class grades, or get high enough scores on the other three tests. Beginning next year, the subject area test will count for 25 percent of the student's grade in the applicable course it covered. That means students whose regular grades are average or better can bomb the test and still pass the course.   At the same time those changes were made, Mississippi's graduation began improving, rising from 74.5 percent of students in the Class of 2014 earning a diploma over four years to 82.3 percent of students whose four years of high school in spring 2016. That latter level is close to national averages.     In the 2016-2017 school year, about 5,400 students — close to 20 percent — earned diplomas based on the alternate options, while about 23,000 passed all four subject-area tests. Charlie Smith, editor of the Columbian-Progress newspaper in Columbia, first uncovered these numbers.   Department officials warn that the data might be incomplete, but it seems clear that a substantial fraction of students are graduating using those other pathways. If they still were required to pass the tests, some more likely would, because districts previously pushed hard to get students to retake any exams they had failed, sometimes multiple times. Mississippi is far from alone in demoting the importance of graduation tests. But are those 20 percent not passing Mississippi's tests adequately prepared? It's hard to tell.    Continue Reading >>> [View Image] Making Students Partners in Data-Driven Approaches to Learning MindShift | KQED | Sep 2014 The following excerpt is from “Leaders of Their Own Learning: Transforming Schools Through Student-Engaged Assessment,” by Ron Berger, Leah Rugen, and Libby Woodfin. This excerpt is from the chapter entitled “Using Data With Students.” At Genesee Community Charter School in Rochester, New York, third-grade teacher Jean Hurst leans in and listens intently as her student, Jacelyn, reads aloud. Hurst is listening for greater fluency in Jacelyn’s oral reading, a skill they have been working on for several weeks. As she listens, she hears greater cadence and confidence in Jacelyn’s voice. Hurst is careful to note miscues and the length of time it takes Jacelyn to read the passage. They start their follow-up discussion by reviewing Jacelyn’s previous goals and successes and reviewing a chart that shows the growth in her reading level. They focus in on fluency and the word substitutions Hurst heard as Jacelyn read aloud. “Let’s take a look at this word,” says Hurst. “Read it back to me.” Jacelyn struggles at first, but calls out the word proclaims. Hurst shares that when she read it aloud, she read it as announces. “We call that a substitution. Do you think you know what happened as you were reading?” Hurst asks. Jacelyn thinks a little more and shares, “Well, I wasn’t sure what the word was but I knew it had to mean something like says or announces because of where it was in the sentence.” Hurst and Jacelyn discuss how her substitution enabled her to make sense of what she was reading without slowing down her overall rate. Hurst shares with Jacelyn her Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) fluency score, and they compare it to older data. It is apparent that her fluency score is improving. Jacelyn is reflective about her growth as a struggling reader: “It’s kind of how there are all kinds of runners. Some are fast and some are slow, but we all need to cross the finish line. Well, I just need to move faster than everyone else to get where I need to be.” The use of data has helped her (with the guidance of her teacher) to set goals that have moved her from a late kindergarten level in September to an early third-grade level by the end of the year. As Hurst points out, “Although she’s still not at grade level, she’s made two years of progress and making that progress visible through the use of data has helped Jacelyn to become a more motivated and informed reader.” Using data with students encompasses classroom practices that build students’ capacity to access, analyze, and use data effectively to reflect, set goals, and document growth. Using data with students encompasses the following activities: Students use their classwork as a source for data, analyzing strengths, weaknesses, and patterns to improve their work. Students regularly analyze evidence of their own progress. They track their progress on assessments and assignments, analyze their errors for patterns, and describe what they see in the data about their current level of performance. Students use data to set goals and reflect on their progress over time and incorporate data analysis into student-led conferences. Read >>> The 2017 EdNext Poll on School Reform There’s no denying political climate change. The past 18 months have seen an enormous swing in the Washington power balance, a shift that has heightened the polarization that has characterized our public life for more than a decade now. How has this divisive political climate influenced public opinion on education policy and reform? And how much, if at all, has the new president swayed the public’s views? The 2017 Education Next survey, conducted in May and June of this year, offers us an opportunity to explore these questions and many more. With this year’s survey, our 11th annual poll of a representative sample of the American public, we examine current attitudes toward major issues in K–12 education and compare the results with those of prior years. We also break down responses by political party and, for whites, by level of education. These analyses allow us to see whether changes have been concentrated in any specific political or demographic group. Our sample of more than 4,200 respondents, including oversamples of parents and teachers, also gives us the chance to experiment with some of the survey questions in order to tease out nuances in public opinion. For a variety of questions, we divided our respondents randomly into two (or more) groups and asked each group a slightly different version of the same question. For example, we told one group about President Donald J. Trump’s position on an issue while the other group was not given this information. By comparing the responses of the two groups, we are able to estimate the “Trump effect” on public thinking. Since we performed this same experiment during the first two years of the Obama administration, we are able to compare the Trump impact with the Obama one. This report covers 10 main topics. Some of the key findings are: 1. School Choice. Public support for charter schools has fallen by 12 percentage points, with similar drops evident among both self-described Republicans and self-described Democrats. Meanwhile, opposition to school vouchers and tax credits to fund private-school scholarships has declined. 2. Common Core. Support for using the same academic standards across the states has risen since 2016—as long as the “brand name” of Common Core is not mentioned. When the Common Core name is stated, the level of support remains essentially the same as it was one year ago, but when the question simply asks about standards “that are the same across the states,” public support rises by 5 percentage points over what was observed last year. 3. Federalism. Compared with 2015, the public prefers a smaller role in education for the federal government and a larger role for local governments in three policy areas: setting standards, identifying failing schools, and fixing failing school. However, a clear plurality continue to prefer that state governments play the predominant role in these areas. 4. Teacher policies. The public is showing an increased resistance to change when it comes to policies affecting teachers. The percentages favoring merit pay, an end to teacher tenure, and increases in teacher salaries are all down about 5 percentage points. In each case, however, a plurality continue to support reform. 5. Trump effect. Half of the respondents were told of Trump’s position on four issues—Common Core, charter schools, tax credits, and merit pay. The other half were asked the same question without mention of the president. In general, the effect of being told the president’s position was to boost support among Republicans and reduce it among Democrats. The overall impact, however, was roughly nil. 6. Immigration and English-only instruction. Two thirds of the public prefer that students whose native tongue is not English be immersed in English-only classrooms. That percentage remains the same when the students are identified specifically as immigrants. Among whites, 75% of those without a university degree prefer English-only classrooms, compared to 60% of those holding a degree. The public is equally divided as to whether school districts should receive extra federal assistance if they have a sizable percentage of immigrant students. 7. Technology. Forty-four percent of the respondents think the effects would be positive if students spent more time on computers at school, while 35% think the effect would be negative. 8. Religious afterschool student clubs. The general public is more favorable toward allowing Muslim students to form afterschool clubs than it was in 2008. At that time, 27% supported such clubs, 23% opposed them, and 50% took a neutral position. In 2017, those percentages are 45% support, 27% oppose, and 28% neutral. 9. Parents’ aspirations for their children’s higher education. Two thirds of the public would have their child pursue a four-year university degree, while only 22% would choose a two-year associate’s degree at a community college, and 11% would choose neither. These percentages do not change significantly when respondents receive information about both the costs and the earnings associated with each degree. However, the cost-and-earnings information shifts the share of Hispanic respondents preferring the four-year degree upward to levels comparable to those among whites. Meanwhile, 75% of Democrats not provided information would prefer their child to pursue a four-year degree, as compared to 57% of Republicans. This partisan difference disappears when respondents receive information about the costs and benefits of the bachelor’s and associate’s degrees. When informed, the percentage preferring the four-year degree is 66% for Democrats and Republicans alike. 10. Varying views by level of education. Among white respondents, 64% of those with a university degree say their local schools deserve a “grade” of A or B, while only 51% of those without that degree rate their local schools that highly. Respondents’ views also varied with their level of education on other issues, including school spending, teacher salaries, merit pay, and school vouchers. Continue Reading >>>

Volume  3,   Issue 9         September 2017 Newsletter Editor:  Dr. John E. Holmes www.the-naea.org Male educators of color are uniquely positioned to write a new narrative JASON TERRELL Profound Gentlemen May 8, 2017 | therenewalproject.com In “The Souls of Black Folk,” W.E.B. Du Bois posed a serious and thought-provoking question about the human condition of black people in 1903 America: “How does it feel to be a problem?” Du Bois was not delving into problems that arose from financial constraints, education depression, or an unfair judicial system, but the problem of simply being a breathing, feeling, and thoughtful black body. Du Bois wrote about the conditions of Black people in 1903 America, and oddly enough, his words ring true today, especially in relation to our students. If I presented you a school environment where the people who resemble you and your family members were not equitably reflected in advanced placement courses, gifted and talented programs, or even as your instructional leaders, but were the faces of discipline policies and academic interventions programs, you might think there’s a problem. Either the system is completely broken, or our students are the culprit. When we see our students, especially our boys, as problems and do not acknowledge their positive attributes, we miss out on the beauty of their perspectives. We miss out on the reality of their dreams, and they miss out on what Aristotle defines as the “good life”—intellectual and character virtues. Profound Gentlemen was birthed on the idea that our black and brown boys are assets; we equip men of color with the resources, structures, and tools to uncover these assets through education and mentorship. Not only are we preparing men of color to be leaders in their school building, but we empower them to use our Code Orange Curriculum that infuses social emotional learning, college and career readiness, and civic and community engagement to ensure that their students, especially their boys, are on a cradle-to-career pipeline. These educators dedicate additional time to support boys of color by meeting at least 120 minutes a month and facilitating Code Orange activities into their lessons. Continue Reading >>> NAEA Board Dr. Pam Bruening President  Kathleen Chronister Vice President Pat Conner Treasurer Dr. Ja'net Bishop Secretary Kay Davenport Past President Jacqueline Whitt, Dr. John E. Holmes, Dr. Ed Lowther, Denise Riley, Richard Thompson, and Dr. Amy Schlessman Board Members Connect with NAEA! Connect with your regional director today  NAEA Twitter Chat #NAEACHAT Monthly Twitter Chats - (30 Minute)  WHO : All Stakeholders in the field of Alternative / Non-Traditional Education WHAT : A monthly Twitter Chat focused on NAEA's Exemplary Practices WHERE : On Social Media - Twitter WHEN : The last Tuesday of each month / 9:00 PM EST / 30 Minute Chat WHY : To build capacity and awareness HOW : Twitter Follow @NAEA_Hope on Twitter and join in using #NAEACHAT 6 Research-Backed Sites and Apps That Can Boost Your Kid's Report Card   Improve academic performance with free and low-cost tools that strengthen kids' fundamental reading and math skills. Christine Elgersma | August 2016| commonsensemedia.org Topics: Back to School, Learning with Technology, Reading For many parents and kids grading season isn't the slam-dunk, high-five, fist-bumping celebration you were hoping for. But you don't need to hire an expensive tutor or run off to the after-school learning center when straight As prove elusive. Plenty of free and low-cost tools can help give your kid high-quality practice in the foundational reading and math skills that are key to students' overall performance. And research proves it. The recommendations below are either aligned with current research about learning or have been the focus of independent research that demonstrates their effectiveness. And that's cause for celebration! Bedtime Math, Grades K-3, Free Practicing something every day is the way to make progress, but not all digital practice is created equally. This website offers math problems in the form of a story, usually based on a situation or fact from the real world. Each problem is available at three skill levels. The idea is that families can use the site or app together to build math into each day. Check out the study that demonstrates its effectiveness. Learn With Homer, Grades K-2, Free with in-app purchases Created with best practices and reading research in mind, this app can get kids pumped about reading with skill-building exercises and supportive materials. Unlike many other reading apps, Learn With Homer not only includes phonics, but it also provides stories, songs, creative play, and a safe social element called "Pigeon Post." Though its intent is very serious, it's kid-friendly, accessible, and fun. Continue reading post >>> Share your Ideas! Have an article you'd like us to include in the NAEA newsletter? Submit an article to Dr. John E. Holmes, Editor at holmesj007@yahoo.com using “NAEA News” in the subject line. Read a previous issue here!  24th Annual Conference on Alternative Education March 5, 2018–March 7, 2018  Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria Registration is now open! Conference Registration: $350.00 Call for Proposals (Open thru 11/3/17) Hotel Reservations: Book by 2/16/18 For the Group Rate The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies October 2015 | Jennifer Gonzalez | cultofpedagogy.com When I worked with student teachers on developing effective lesson plans, one thing I always asked them to revise was the phrase “We will discuss.” We will discuss the video. We will discuss the story. We will discuss our results. Every time I saw it in a lesson plan, I would add a  note: “What format will you use? What questions will you ask? How will you ensure that all students participate?” I was pretty sure that We will discuss actually meant the teacher would do most of the talking; He would throw out a couple of questions like “So what did you think about the video?” or “What was the theme of the story?” and a few students would respond, resulting in something that looked  like a discussion, but was ultimately just a conversation between the teacher and a handful of extroverted students; a classic case of Fisheye Teaching. The problem wasn’t them; in most of the classrooms where they’d sat as students, that’s exactly what a class discussion looked like. They didn’t know any other “formats.” I have only ever been familiar with a few myself. But when teachers began contacting me recently asking for a more comprehensive list, I knew it was time to do some serious research. So here they are: 15 formats for structuring a class discussion to make it more engaging, more organized, more equitable, and more academically challenging. If you’ve struggled to find effective ways to develop students’ speaking and listening skills, this is your lucky day. Continue Reading >>> 2018 NAEA Video Contest! “JOINING HANDS TOWARD ONE DESTINY”    Tell the story of your alternative program in a 2-5 minute video or rap. This contest is open to middle and high school students who attend alternative education programs. Your video should communicate the message and mission of your program and relate it to the annual national NAEA conference theme “Joining Hands Toward One Destiny.” Entries may express this theme in any genre or shooting style, but must be submitted by link containing a YouTube URL. THE PRIZES: Winners will receive the following cash awards: First Prize—$400.00    Second Prize—$300.00    Third Prize—$200.00 Up to five Honorable Mentions—$100 each ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED by DECEMBER 18, 2017. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED January 26, 2018. Entrants must be currently enrolled in and attending a middle or high school alternative education program at the time of the submission. Entries will be judged on the following criteria: overall impact effectiveness of conveying theme artistic merit technical proficiency A panel will make the final selection of winners. Judges’ decisions are final. THE RULES: Entrants must be enrolled in and attending alternative education classes. Entries must interpret some variation of the theme, “Joining Hands Toward One Destiny”.  All forms must be signed and may be photocopied. Entries must be 2-5 minutes in length. Entrants who do not obtain and cannot provide written documentation of all necessary rights and permissions for music, images, video clips, and any and all other non-original aspects of their entries will be disqualified. Entries must be submitted by a link to a YouTube URL. Each entry must be labeled with the entrant’s name, school mailing address, and telephone number, as well as the title and length of the entry. Parent permission must be signed for every student participating in the video who is under the age of 18. All entries must be postmarked by DECEMBER 18, 2017. All entries become the property of NAEA. Entries cannot be returned. Judges’ decisions are final. All prizes need not be awarded. Full Rules and Information here >>> Commission on School on Accreditation Recommends Establishing New Baseline of Mississippi Statewide Accountability System August 15, 2017 | Jackson, Miss JACKSON, Miss – The Commission on School Accreditation (CSA) voted today to recommend that the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) establish a new baseline for assigning school and district letter grades for the 2016-17 school year. The 2016-17 accountability grades will be released in October. The CSA based its decision on the unanimous recommendation of the statewide Accountability Task Force and the Mississippi Department of Education’s (MDE) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The three groups agreed that a new baseline is needed to correct artificially high growth rates included in the 2015-16 accountability grades. “If we don’t make this change now, school and district grades this year and in the future will not give a true picture of their performance,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “The MDE needed two years of results from the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) to conduct an analysis of the data and to establish a stable baseline.” After the release of the 2015-16 accountability results, some districts raised concerns that their growth rates were abnormally high and could not be sustained over subsequent years. The growth rates were based on multiple assessment programs that were administered over a multi-year period. Dr. Chris Domaleski, associate director of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment and chair of the TAC, said the unintended consequence of calculating growth on different assessments was artificially inflated growth. “Due to the instability in growth, the ability to meaningfully compare performance from year to year is compromised. Therefore, resetting cut scores to establish a new baseline is recommended,” Domaleski said. Black innovators shine through history in these animated films for kids July 2017 | Jenna Gray | PBS An enslaved man who mailed himself in a box to freedom across state lines. A ballerina of color who asked to paint her face white. An inventor whose creations include the traffic signal and oxygen mask. These are not works of fiction but true tales of American history brought to the screen by Sweet Blackberry, an organization that tells overlooked and little-known stories of African American accomplishments to children through animated short films. In 2014, ethnic minorities constituted the majority of children under 5 for the first time, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And in 2015, ethnic minorities under age 18 constituted 48.5 percent of the U.S. population, according to nonpartisan research organization Child Trends. But children of color have historically received little representation in animated films, with early ones often portraying black characters as aggressive or unintelligent. In a 2016 analysis of the top-viewed cartoons among children ages 6 to 12 by the Children’s Television and Language Project at Tufts University, characters of color only held 17 percent of speaking roles. On average, kids consume over seven and a half hours of media per day, with the numbers even higher among black and Hispanic children, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. And they deduce information about themselves and others — such as what possible career options are — based on the identities of characters they see on screen. TV consumption strengthens white boys’ self esteem while decreasing that of white girls, black girls and black boys, perhaps because of a lack of positive role models in media, a 2012 study found. The under-representation of people of color and women on film and television shows mirrors the lack of representation behind the scenes. The 2015 Hollywood Diversity Report from the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies revealed that white people and men dominate executive positions at television networks and film studios, with minorities directing 17.8 percent of the 174 films from 2013 that the report reviewed. Sweet Blackberry founder Karyn Parsons, who played Hilary Banks on the popular show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” seeks to combat this underrepresentation. Her organization’s latest project, “The Bessie Coleman Story,” will feature the first female African American and Native American pilot. The short film recently completed its fundraising campaign on Kickstarter, and Parsons expects it will be released in February 2018. Read more here >>>

National Alternative Education Association  •  4930 Tallowood Way  •  Naples, FL 34116 http://www.the-naea.org

Volume  3,   Issue 6          May 2017 Newsletter Editor:  Dr. John E. Holmes www.the-naea.org NAEA Region 4 NAEA Region 4 Symposium- Summer 2017 June 15-17, 2017 201 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery, AL  36104 Hotel: The Renaissance Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center ($91.00/ night) Phone: 334-481-5000 (for reservations) 678-520-1158 (Abigail Crawford for additional information) Registration Form Registration Fees Conference Schedule Happy Mother's Day to all! TAEA 2017 Annual Conference The Tennessee Alternative Education Association is proud to announce our 2017 Annual Conference on Alternative and Nontraditional Education July 10-12, 2017 Embassy Suites Hotel, Murfreesboro, Tennessee The Tennessee Alternative Education Association is proud to announce our 2017 Annual Conference on Alternative and Nontraditional Education, as well as Annual Meeting of the Membership. Visit our website to download the registration form at www.the-taea.org Registration Fee: $150 Presenter Registration: FREE Learn more about this event >>> NAEA Board Dr. Pam Bruening, President  Kathleen Chronister, Vice President Pat Conner, Treasurer Dr. Ja'net Bishop, Secretary Kay Davenport, Past President Jacqueline  Whitt, Dr. John E. Holmes, Dr. Ed Lowther, Denise Riley, Richard Thompson, and Dr. Amy Schlessman, Board Members Connect with NAEA! Follow @NAEA_Hope on Twitter and join in the  NAEA Monthly Twitter Chats – (30 Minute) Held on the last Tuesday of Each Month 9:00-9:30 EST using #NAEACHAT Connect with your regional director today  Every Student Succeeds ACT  Read the NAEA statement and recommendations about the Every Student Succeeds ACT   How to Cultivate Productivity in Your Teen  Dennis Triton | LifeSmart Publishing, LLC | May 1, 2017 Last week we talked about senioritis,and how giving in to the temptation to slack off near the end of the school year can come back to bite us. That’s why it’s so important that we as parents and teachers do our best to cultivate productivity in our teens. Over the years, I’ve noticed an interesting trend in my chance encounters with people. It goes something like this: Me: “It’s great to see you! How’ve you been?” Them: “Busy!” Or, Them: “Crazy busy!” Or, Them: “Out of control!” Or, Them: “Overwhelmed!” Is this good? No, it’s not. We’re experiencing a crisis of over-commitment and information overload like never before. It’s not supposed to be this way. After all, technology is supposed to make us more efficient, isn’t it?  Not more stressed! At the risk of sounding like Fred Flintstone, faster isn’t always better—especially if it reduces our quality of life and productivity. These days, everyone is consumed with “busyness.” You see it everywhere. Our attention spans are shorter, our responsiveness has markedly deteriorated, our cell phones have become appendages (where almost nonstop beeps and vibrations are creating a false sense of urgency), we’re having a harder time focusing, and relational depth is increasingly being replaced by superficial breadth. Our children are bombarded with information and opportunities like never before and it’s showing up in anxiety levels. It is crucial that we arm them with a strong productivity foundation to handle this brave new world. Continue reading >>> Sharon Griffin recognized for Leadership in School Turnaround A Passion for Savings Schools on the Brink Darrel Burnette II | February 22, 2017 | 2017 Leaders Series, EdWeek  With more than a quarter of its schools deemed failing and at risk of being taken over by the state, Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dorsey Hopson hired Sharon Griffin, a hard-charging, no-nonsense Memphis native, to oversee what has become a life-saving turnaround experiment. That was in 2012. Tennessee’s legislature had just passed a law allowing the state’s education agency to take the reins of the state’s worst-performing schools and either run them directly or hand them over to a charter operator, a move that stood to drain potentially millions of state-aid dollars from the already financially struggling district. But a clause in the law allowed for districts to try out their own interventions using some federal money and flexibility from the state’s cumbersome K-12 policies. Continue reading >>>  The Teaching Profession in 2016 (in Charts) EdWeek | Madeline Will  | Dec. 2016 Over the last year, we have seen a huge number of reports, surveys, and other data that explore various changes and challenges facing the teaching profession. For the past three years, Teaching Now has compiled graphs—from both our in-house research center and outside organizations—to visually capture the state of teaching. These statistics serve as a reminder of the wide variety of issues that educators face, and perhaps some of what is on the education landscape for 2017. Clicking on any chart will direct you to a larger version of the image. Chart #1: Teaching the Common Core Chart #2: Incorporating a Growth Mindset in the Classroom Chart #3: Technology in the Classroom Chart #4: Teachers Use Their Own Money for Students Charts #5 & #6: Teachers Are Feeling Frustrated, Ignored Chart #7: Teacher Shortages Could Be Growing Chart #8: We Have a Teacher Diversity Problem Chart #9: There Are a Lot of New Teachers Chart #10: Student Engagement Is Low Read article in full, and about these charts here >>> 10 Qualities of Really Amazing Employees LinkedIn | 2014 | Kevin Daum, Inc.com It takes a lot to recruit and maintain top talent; as an employer I have always been grateful for those special employees who came along and just get it. They understand the power of cause and effect, drive the company forward, and know exactly what they need to do for advancement and rewards. Only a worthy company can retain them and afford them. These amazing employees share ten common behaviors which they seem to do effortlessly. Here are those behaviors, plus advice to help you help your great employees become even more amazing. 1. They Enthusiastically Learn All Aspects of the Business 2. They Help Steward the Company 3. They Generate Viable Opportunities 4. They Resolve Issues Before They Become Issues 5. They Tell It Like It Is 6. They Demonstrate High Standards With Low Maintenance 7. They Grow Themselves and Others 8. They Research, Apply, and Refine 9. They Stimulate Happiness 10. They Facilitate Amazing Bosses Read article in full >>> Principals Work  60-Hour Weeks, Study Finds Sarah D. Sparks | Education Week | November 2016 A national study shows that principals regularly clock more than a standard, full-time workload every week. On average, principals work nearly 60 hours a week, with leaders of high-poverty schools racking up even more time, according to the first nationally representative study of how principals use their time. It was released last month by the federal Regional Education Laboratory for Northeast and Islands. "Years ago, I tried the best I could to get everything done in 'normal work hours,' but these last 10 years, I've just assumed Sunday is going to be a work day for six or seven hours," said Eric Cardwell, the principal of the 525-student Besser Elementary School in Alpena, Mich. "The principalship: It's not a job; it's a lifestyle," he added. Continue Reading >>> The Heartbreaking Way This Teacher Discovered 5 Students' Biggest Secrets Lauren Devy | PopSugar | April 2017 When Elle Deal decided to try a new exercise with her fifth grade students, the Friday activity turned into something incredibly heartbreaking. The elementary school teacher asked her kids to write a short blurb, titled, "I wish my teacher would know . . . " and their answers left a major impact on her. Elle shared a few of the heartbreaking (and anonymous) statements on Facebook as a reminder to everyone to "leave this life a little better than how we found it." "Kid 1: I wish my teacher would know, my dad is in jail and I haven't seen him in years. Kid 2: I wish my teacher would know, I don't always eat dinner because my mom works and I don't know how to work the stove. Kid 3: I wish my teacher would know, my sister sleeps in the same bed as me and sometimes she wets the bed and that's why I smell funny. Kid 4: I wish my teacher would know that I don't always have sneakers for gym class because my brothers and I share one pair. Kid 5: I wish my teacher would know I like coming to school because it's quiet here, not like my house with all the yelling." Continue Reading >>> The Graduation Speech Harvard Is Calling 'The Most Powerful' You’ll Ever HearArticle Title May 2016 | ABC News | Joi-Marie McKenzie It's the speech Harvard University is calling "the most powerful, heartfelt" speech "you will ever hear." Donovan Livingston, a master's graduate at the university, was chosen by a committee of faculty, staff and students to speak at the School of Education's convocation, a rep for Harvard told ABC News. Instead of a traditional speech, Livingston used spoken word to perform his poem, "Lift Off." Livingston told ABC News that the "true inspiration behind the piece" was the fact that he couldn't perform a poem when he gave his commencement remarks during his senior year of high school. The poem spoke about racial inequalities in the educational system, what it means to be black at Harvard and inspired the class of 2016 to use their roles as future educators to help others realize their full potential. Continue Reading >>> Exploring the Overlooked Role of Culture in Helping Kids of Color Succeed The Annie E. Casey Foundation | aecf.org | April 24, 2017 A case study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation explores the important and often overlooked role that culture can play in shaping programs and practices aimed at leveling life’s playing field for children of color. The case study, Considering Culture, is rooted in two findings: 1) that the traditions, social practices and pervading mentalities of communities of color are very different than in predominantly white communities; and 2) that children of color face tougher odds and experience fewer gains than their white counterparts at every step — from birth to adulthood. Despite these well-documented differences, there are very few evidence-based programs intentionally geared toward communities of color, according to Considering Culture, which is the fourth installment in a five-part Race for Results case study series. This prevailing lack of rigorously tested and targeted options for helping some of our nation’s most vulnerable children succeed is both a glaring omission and a great opportunity. In its case study, the Casey Foundation underscores a need to support more researchers of color as well as more research-driven, culturally based approaches to serving communities of color. Beyond identifying these important missing pieces, the Foundation also examines the efforts of programs and nonprofits already engaged in culturally relevant, community-specific work. Some early lessons learned from these efforts — as outlined in the case study — include: Culture is key Understanding a community’s unique ethnic culture and incorporating this knowledge into an evidence-based program can support both the program’s uptake and its long-term success. The right partnerships are powerful Research institutions, universities and government agencies have experience when it comes to developing, validating, and funding evidence-based programs. Partnering with these institutions is a smart move for small organizations working toward evidence-based status. Know your options In some communities, the type of data collection needed to achieve evidence-based status can feel too invasive and discomforting — and ultimately turn a community off. In these instances, community-defined evidence may be an effective alternative. Give the community a say Look to communities of color to define their own needs and desires — and describe what success looks like for them. Download Case Study Expression of Sympathy Are You Stuck In A Hole And Can't Get Out? Eric Wettstein | July 2014 | LinkedIn Have you ever had those days where you feel like you're stuck in a hole in the sidewalk? (I've fallen, and I can't get up!) You've been there before, you know... where you're walking along and you trip in a hole, get your heel caught in it or just about twist an ankle from... Whoa!...Where did that come from? Ouch! All habits have a built-in reward system which feeds some emotional need. That's why some habits are so hard to break and others even harder--it's purely based on the emotional need it satisfies in you, sometimes going as far back as infancy. So the reality is to some extent, every habit good or bad can be addictive because it has the ability to feed a need. Whether it's popping a pill, pumping iron/runner's high, or risk taking "highs" (like skydiving) or simply waking up to the sunshine on our face or eating a great meal. Omitting the extreme, most of us seek safety, security, comfort, consistency, stability and more things that make us feel good and we tend to avoid painful, fearful things. But sometimes even those bad habits can make us "feel good". Read on for 5 steps to help you break any habit in it's most basic form Resource for Alternative Education Professionals "What are the Drugs in Your Child's World?" is a brochure made available by Stephen R. Sroka, Ph.D., President, Health Education Consultants and Case Western Reserver University. This informational brochure may be a useful for teachers, parents, and the community. For more information about the brochure, and additional materials, visit www.DrugAwarenessandPrevention.org Parenting-based therapy helps curb disruptive behavior Amy Wallace | May 2, 2017 | United Press International (UPI) A new study shows that therapy involving parents is more effective in the treatment of children with disruptive behavior disorders, or DBDs, than other treatments. Parent-based therapy had the best results compared to 20 other therapeutic approaches in treating DBDs in children. DBDs are a range of disorders that lead to aggression, acting out, defiance and rule-breaking in children. These disorders can lead to serious negative outcomes in later life such as incarceration, co-morbid mental disorders and premature death. For example, 40 percent of children with diagnosed conduct disorder, a type of DBD, go on to have antisocial personality disorders. "Parents seeking help for their children with disruptive behavior problems can play an active role in their children's treatment," Jennifer Kaminski, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a press release. "These therapies can provide parents the tools to serve as their child's best advocate and guide their child's behavior during their everyday interactions. Given the range of therapies in practice, this update provides information about the most effective approaches to ensure families are receiving evidence-based care." Researchers reviewed 64 studies analyzing 26 forms of treatment over a 20-year period and found two methods that they cited as "well-established" for evidence-based success: group therapy focused on parent behavior and individual parent behavior therapy with child participation. Thirteen treatment options were considered probably efficacious including family problem-solving training and individual parent behavior therapy. The study was an update of two previous reviews in 1998 and 2008 of evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children with DBDs up to age 12. "The results of this review add even more support behind the notion that parental involvement in treating disruptive behavioral issues in children is very important," Kaminski said. "Parents should consider these two therapies when looking for the right treatment for their child. With the help of trained professionals, they can be an active participant in their child's treatment." The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. Read article as it originally appears via UPI >>> Opportunities through the Robert Woods Foundation  Researchers wanted for $2M funding opportunity We’re calling on research teams to find out how to identify the system-level strategies needed to improve the delivery of medical, public health, and social services. Is your research the right fit? > How Santa Monica is using data to improve residents' lives Santa Monica, CA, is taking a new data-driven approach to guide community action and tackle neighborhood revitalization, homelessness, and support for children and families. Learn more > LATEST FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES New Connections: Increasing Diversity of RWJF Programming Deadline: Tue, 16 May 2017 Health Data for Action Deadline: Wed, 24 May 2017 Evidence for Action: Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health Deadline: Open 7 Misconceptions About Charter Schools Clarified at #IQ2USLive Debate Lisa Nielsen | The Innovative Educator | March 3, 2017 Our president has shared that education is a civil rights issue of our time. He and his newly appointed Secretary of Education believe the solution is school choice in the form of charter schools and vouchers. While the concept makes sense at face value, when we scratch beneath the surface, it becomes clear that the solution is based on a premise riddled with misconceptions. These misconceptions were brought to light this week during the IQ2S Debate: Are Charter Schools Overrated. The debate was conducted by Intelligence Squared a nonpartisan organization that aims to restore civility, reasoned analysis, and constructive discourse to the often biased media landscape. At the debate experts presented their case in an effort to help citizens answer the question, “Are charter schools overrated?” As the debate unfolded, several misconceptions the public has about charter schools were addressed. This enabled an online and live audience in New York City to come to an informed decision on issue of school choice. These are the seven misconceptions addressed at the debate. Charter and public schools serve similar numbers of students with special needs and limited English proficiency Charter schools outperform public schools Charter schools are more innovative than traditional public schools Charter schools are a good solution for all children School choice is a civil rights issue Charter schools were created to help privatize education Public schools need rules and regulations that charter schools don’t Interested to learn more about why each belief is a misconception? Read on. This Is The Test Your 4-Year-Old Would Need To Pass To Get Into An Elite New York City Kindergarten Amy Zimmer | BusinessInsider | 2014  Some of the city's most elite private schools will soon require 4-year-olds to take a new, harder admissions test given on an iPad and designed to assess math and literacy skills. The educational services company ERB's Admission Assessment for Beginning Learners (AABL) will be given for the first time in October and is a significant departure from the previous, IQ-like test most New York City private schools required for the past 45 years. While the new test is much cheaper for families — it's $65, rather than $568 for the old test, because the new test is taken by iPad rather than by a trained examiner — experts believe many parents will shell out even more on classes and books to prepare their toddlers for it. The ERB's IQ test was more subjective, especially on the verbal section, in which the examiner could award partial credit, said Bige Doruk, founder of test prep company Bright Kids NYC. "For example, if the question stated 'What is a mouse?' and the kid answered 'animal,' he or she would get 1 point. If the kid said 'a gray animal that is small, has a tail and likes to eat cheese,' the kid would get the full 2 points," Doruk explained. Continue Reading >>> How Successful People Stay Calm  LinkedIn | Dr. Travis Bradberry | August 2014 The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance. TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people, and we’ve found that 90% of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress in order to remain calm and in control. If you follow our newsletter, you’ve read some startling research summaries that explore the havoc stress can wreak on one’s physical and mental health (such as the Yale study, which found that prolonged stress causes degeneration in the area of the brain responsible for self-control). The tricky thing about stress (and the anxiety that comes with it) is that it’s an absolutely necessary emotion. Our brains are wired such that it’s difficult to take action until we feel at least some level of this emotional state. In fact, performance peaks under the heightened activation that comes with moderate levels of stress. As long as the stress isn’t prolonged, it’s harmless. Research from the University of California, Berkeley, reveals an upside to experiencing moderate levels of stress. But it also reinforces how important it is to keep stress under control. The study, led by post-doctoral fellow Elizabeth Kirby, found that the onset of stress entices the brain into growing new cells responsible for improved memory. However, this effect is only seen when stress is intermittent. As soon as the stress continues beyond a few moments into a prolonged state, it suppresses the brain’s ability to develop new cells. Continue Reading >>> The State of Personalized Learning EdNET Insight | Dr. Philip W.V. Hickman | Dec. 2016 Personalized learning is the ed tech phrase of the year and a key concept for how digitally delivered teaching and learning will make the most significant impact on teaching and learning, but what is it? The variety of products and practices that claim to personalize learning differ vastly, making the term hard to understand. Schools want to provide personalized learning, a plethora of vendors are selling it, and it is required for ESSA beginning in 2018. A few BLEgroup superintendents, staff, and vendors held a discussion to see if we could define a way to understand the reality of the concept. We also conversed with vendors who believe they are providing personalized learning products and services to K-12 schools and with school districts who believe that they are far down the path of providing personalized teaching and learning. All personalized learning is not the same: Before data collection and discussion, all stakeholders held a common definition of personalized learning as “customized curriculum targeted to each student’s level of subject knowledge and his/her learning style.” After our discussion and observation of several districts’ practices and conversations with vendors of personalized learning platforms, we came to the conclusion that there needed to be an easy-to-use taxonomy for the types of PL products and practices so that school systems can clearly understand product and practice variation. The current use of the term “personalized learning” varies from: small group instruction based on performance levels to longitudinal history of all assessments students ever took to provide them with knowledge of what to assign to artificial intelligence based products that assess the cognitive level and learning style of a student and provide a variety of resources based on the student’s learning style, current performance, and understanding of a subject. We concluded that rapid new developments in the areas of adaptive assessment, data analytics, customized content, and adaptive instruction in recent years are the reason why “personalized learning” is not a well understood concept. There are currently at least three generations of personalized learning on the market. Continue Reading >>> Many low-income students use only their phone to get online. What are they missing? Matthew Lynch | 2016 | The Edvocate For many of us, access to the Internet through a variety of means is a given. I can access the Internet through two laptops, a tablet, a smartphone and even both of my game systems, from the comfort of my living room. However, this access is unequally distributed. Although nine out of 10 low-income families have Internet access at home, most are underconnected: that is, they have “mobile-only” access – they are able to connect to the Internet only through a smart device, such as a tablet or a smartphone. A recent report, “Opportunity for all? Technology and learning in low income families,” shows that one-quarter of those earning below the median income and one-third of those living below poverty level accessed the Internet only through their mobile devices. This leads to limited access: A third of families with mobile-only access quickly hit the data limits on their mobile phone plans and about a quarter have their phone service cut off for lack of payment. So, what impact does this type of access have on youth learning? What changes with a computer connection My research has explored underserved youth’s use of technology to discover and participate in content related to their interests. Having access only through their mobile devices means that low-income families and youth do not have the same access to the Internet as those with other Internet connections. One-fifth of families who access the Internet only through their mobile devices say too many family members have to share one device. This means that the amount of time each individual has to access the Internet is limited. Continue reading >>> DeKalb school chief advises governor: We’re talking about choice when we should be discussing change AJC Blog | Maureen Downey | January 2017 In this essay, DeKalb Superintendent Steve Green offers Gov. Nathan Deal suggestions on creating an effective school reform plan. By Steve Green Gov. Nathan Deal has told the Georgia General Assembly early in the 2017 legislative session that his administration will focus on education reforms. In coming months, the citizens of DeKalb County and the rest of Georgia can expect a lot of talk about our public schools and how to improve them. Discussions will swirl on standard hot topics: School choice. Vouchers. Use of public tax money for private-school education. Responsible funding, and so on. The real issue in public education isn’t any one of these flashpoints. Our basic discussion should be much simpler: How do we give students what they need to succeed? Providing each student – gifted, mentally challenged, expatriated, or burdened by distracting socioeconomic or family needs – with the foundational elements to succeed in schools should be the real issue at the center of new legislation. We in the DeKalb Country School District welcome Gov. Deal, along with state and federal leaders and all other parties with a role in the proposed legislation, to join us at a point of common understanding. Continue Reading >>> The Myth of Walkthroughs: 8 Unobserved Practices in Classrooms EdWeek | April 2016 | Peter DeWitt Walkthroughs are pretty popular these days. A principal, or a team of administrators and teacher leaders, walk through a group of classrooms and look for certain instructional practices. After they're completed, the team provides feedback to the teacher. In schools where walkthroughs are done correctly, teachers and leaders work together, have agreed upon or co-constructed the "look for" that should be taking place in the classrooms, and have dialogue around the feedback. In other cases...walkthroughs aren't so popular or positive. This may happen because the school leader and teachers do not work collaboratively. The principal never co-constructed what to look for with teachers, and the teachers are not told beforehand. The walkthroughs are more about compliance, and therefore the success of walkthroughs is more of a myth than a reality. There are leaders who say they are doing walkthroughs, when in actuality, they have never shared the focus, or the form, they're using with the teacher...and the teacher doesn't receive any effective feedback. When completing a Visible Learning (Hattie) capability assessment in Melbourne, Australia in February, there was a school leader who co-constructed the walkthrough goals with teachers, and every week hung up a regular-sized gold sign in the faculty room, main office, and the main hallway near his office. The sign provided the walkthrough focus of the week so everyone was aware of what it was, and there had been a team involved who established each focus area. Continue Reading >>> White Students Get Experienced Teachers, While Black Students Get Police In School Huffington Post | June 2016 | Rebecca Klein In America, the most rigorous classes, experienced teachers and moderate discipline practices tend to be reserved for white students, according to new survey results from the U.S. Department of Education. The Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection surveys 99 percent of the nation’s public schools on issues related to the level of opportunity provided to their students. The survey, which is conducted every other school year, collects data about students’ access to classes, teachers and school discipline trends. The latest survey, which has data from the 2013-2014 school year, also collected data on issues like student absenteeism and the quality of education provided in juvenile justice facilities. The Department of Education provided reporters with top-level national indicators and will release full data that informed its conclusions later in the week. The survey results paint a picture of vast educational inequalities based on students’ skin color and disability status, with only a few bright spots. Specifically, while student suspension rates appear to have dropped 20 percent since the last time data was collected in 2011-2012, stark racial inequities persist in terms of which students receive this punishment.  “In general, the data shows students of color, students whose first language is not English, and students with disabilities are, according to a number of indicators, not getting the same the opportunities to learn as their classmates who are white, first language is English or who do not have disabilities,” U.S. Secretary of Education John King Jr. said on a call with reporters Monday. King is hopeful that the nation’s new federal education law, The Every Student Succeeds Act, will serve to rectify some of these inequities. Continue Reading >>> One Key to Reducing School Suspension: A Little Respect Sarah D. Sparks | 2016 | Education Week “R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Find out what it means to me.” In schools working to reduce suspension rates, teachers could take a cue from Aretha Franklin: Considering how young people view respect can greatly improve classroom management, new studies show. A one-time intervention to help teachers and students empathize with each other halved the number of suspensions at five diverse California middle schools, and helped students who had previously been suspended feel more connected at school, according to Stanford University research published in April in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Changing the mindset of one teacher can change the social experience of that child’s entire world,” said Jason A. Okonofua, a Stanford University social psychologist who led the experiments. Continue Reading >>> 24th Annual Conference on Alternative Education March 5, 2018–March 7, 2018 Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria    Conference Registration cost $350.00