"We're going to work with states that are willing to challenge the status quo." -
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Saving school budgets in a recession
AASA conference speakers outline strategies for weathering rough economic climate
Buying from large group contracts, aligning budgets with school improvement plans, starting an educational foundation, and mastering the art of passing school bond issues were among the strategies for surviving the current fiscal crisis discussed at the American Association of School Administrators' annual conference in San Francisco last month. AASA Chief Executive Daniel Domenech said this year's conference included 14 hours of sessions devoted to managing school systems during a tough economy.
Despite an influx of $106 billion in federal funding from the recently signed stimulus package, "we are all experiencing an economic situation the likes of which we've never seen—and as a result, we're going to be forced to make several changes," Domenech said.
How to make those changes while protecting valuable teaching and learning programs from the budget chopping block was the focus of several sessions on Day One of the conference. Read some of those ideas at www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=57403.
Source: eSchool News, 2.20.09
School employees to receive advanced medical expertise thanks to ‘Best Doctors’ program
Employees who participate in a SET Employee Benefits medical program will soon be able to obtain answers about their health care treatment and diagnosis from world-renowned doctors through the Best Doctors program. This advanced and completely confidential program will be available to subscribers free of charge beginning March 1.
Employees who are uncertain about their diagnosis or treatment can utilize Best Doctors to obtain an impartial additional review of their case to answer questions such as: Is my diagnosis correct? What is the best recommended treatment? Through Best Doctors, employees receive answers from world-renowned physicians who will review their cases to make sure the diagnosis is correct and the treatment plan is on target. To start using the Best Doctors program, participants simply call Best Doctors toll-free. A Best Doctors Member Advocate will work with the member on their case and guide them through the program.
Through the Best Doctors program, members can have their case reviewed by a physician who is an expert in his or her field and selected from Best Doctors database of 40,000 world-renowned specialists. The expert reviews and analyzes the member’s medical records and test results to let him or her know if the diagnosis and treatment are on target. The member and the treating physician receive a comprehensive, easy-to-understand report. Everything is confidential and, it is free to participants in a SET Employee Benefits medical program.
Best Doctors is an outstanding resource that enables participants to receive advanced medical expertise from a highly regarded and impartial doctor, without travel, co-pays or long waits for consultations. SET Employee Benefits, a nonprofit organization, is providing this service to educational organizations and their employees as a value-added benefit of participation in its insurance programs, which includes plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Priority Health, United Healthcare, Aetna, Physicians Health Plan, and others. SET Employee Benefits absorbs the complete cost of the Best Doctors program and passes none of it through to its members.
School districts and educational organizations that wish to learn more about SET Employee Benefits and the Best Doctors program should contact a SET SEG Account Executive by calling 800.292.5421.
SET SEG is a nonprofit provider of complete insurance services to Michigan school districts and educational organizations. SET SEG provides employee benefits, property/casualty and/or workers compensation insurance to more than 550 educational organizations in the state.
Save on workers’ compensation insurance:
Obtain a quote from the Fund today!
School districts in search of affordable and stable workers’ compensation insurance should consider obtaining a quote from the SEG Self-Insurer Workers’ Compensation Fund. Since 1977, the Fund has helped educational organizations achieve long-term cost savings. The Fund currently serves 474 members and is the largest self-insured fund for schools in Michigan.
Our philosophy
The Fund’s number-one priority has always been to protect the health and safety of the employees we insure. Because we work exclusively with educational organizations, we are well attuned to the needs and priorities of our membership. Our strong claim management program helps members realize long-term cost savings. The Fund, along with third-party administrator Cannon Cochran Management Services Inc. (CCMSI), uses a multi-disciplined approach to cost containment, which helps members save. It includes:
Three-tiered Preferred Provider Networks;
Nurse case management;
Vocational rehabilitation;
Telephonic case management;
Pharmacy benefit management; and
Cutting-edge bill review processes
Member Service
Several other benefits are available to Fund members free of charge, including:
On-site Loss Control Consultants who work with members to reduce workplace hazards and minimize injuries;
Access to SafeSchools online safety and compliance training courses;
Assistance with establishing transitional work programs; and
Access to a convenient, user-friendly online claim-reporting system, Internet Claims Edge, which assists staff with filing claims, accessing claim reports and creating MIOSHA forms and MSPERS reports.
The Fund and CCMSI also offer self-insured program administration for districts that currently self-insure their workers’ compensation program. To learn more about the Fund, or to obtain a quote for your workers’ compensation coverage, contact your SET SEG Account Executive today!
Communication Tip:
Take the wheel and keep the course —Success rests on your shoulders
Superintendents’ tenures in their districts have a profound effect on student achievement. A 2007 study by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) as well as a 2006 study by Mid-Continent Research for Education Learning show a positive correlation between superintendent tenure and increased student achievement.
Those studies show that the future success of students may ride on the superintendent’s tenure. Other studies show a superintendent’s level of expertise in communication will probably determine the length of his or her stay.
A 2005 NSPRA survey of 31 superintendent search consultants, How Strong Communication Helps Superintendents Get and Keep Their Jobs, clearly identified lack of communication expertise as the main reason superintendents lose their jobs.
That study also found that the key skills school boards want in new superintendents are the ability to effectively communicate both vision and leadership and the ability to motivate others. Many of these search consultants, who collectively conducted more than 300 searches, recognized that a comprehensive communication program is essential to superintendents’ survival.
11 Tips for Savvy Superintendents: The Communication Factor in Superintendent Success is part of the 2008 AASA/NSPRA Back-to-School Toolkit for School Leaders. Members of the American Association of School Administrators and the National School Public Relations Association can access the Toolkit online.
Excerpted with permission from the copyrighted publication, 11 Tips for Savvy Superintendents: The Communication Factor in Superintendent Success, published in 2008 by the National School Public Relations Association, 15948 Derwood Rd., Rockville, MD 20855; www.nspra.org; 301.519.0496. No other reprints allowed without written permission from NSPRA.
Seeking good humor
The School Administrator magazine publishes a back-page humor column called "Leadership Lite," so they are eager to solicit your stories for possible use. What they’re seeking are short, humorous anecdotes (that generally can be told in no more than four or five paragraphs) that relate to some telling aspect of life in educational administration or the day-to-day work in a school district or a state administrator association. Anecdotes should be based on the contributor's own experience - something you’ve seen or heard or that’s been shared by a colleague.
To spark your creative thinking, AASA is willing to send you electronically a couple of recent installments of “Leadership Lite” as PDF attachments. Please submit stories at any time to Jay Goldman at jgoldman@aasa.org.
2009 Governor's Education Summit features Kati Haycock
The 2009 Governor's Education Summit™ announces that Kati Haycock will be the featured luncheon speaker on April 28, 2009.
Kati Haycock is one of the nation's leading child advocates in the field of education. She currently serves as President of the Education Trust. Established in 1992, the Trust does what no other Washington-based education organization seeks to do - speaks up for what's right for young people - especially those who are poor or members of minority groups. The Trust also provides hands-on assistance to educators who want to work together to improve student achievement, pre-kindergarten through college. Prior to coming to the Education
Trust, Haycock served as Executive Vice President of the Children's Defense Fund, the nation's largest child advocacy organization.
Ms. Haycock was recently the featured speaker at the Muskegon Education Forum, where her presentation "Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Between Groups: Lessons From Schools on the Performance Frontier" was highly acclaimed. The 2009 Governor's Education Summit™ is proud to feature Ms. Haycock as an integral part of the Summit™ agenda and message.
In addition to Ms. Haycock, Mike Flanagan, State Superintendent, and Governor Jennifer Granholm will also be featured speakers. To find out more about the Summit program and agenda, please visit the conference website at: www.mfel.org/ges/2009/.
Early registration is still available - for $150 - until March 31st. Click here to register today, or download the attached registration form and send/fax it in!
Online community rooms
available through Michigan LearnPort
Would online communication tools enhance the effectiveness of your Professional Learning Community? Are you working on a project that would benefit from online discussions and access to group documents and presentations? Both of these questions can be answered by the use of a free Community Room within Michigan LearnPort.
Community Rooms are collaborative areas for common interest groups, PLCs, and school committees. A number of powerful collaboration tools can found in Community Rooms. Users can share documents and other resources, communicate via a Discussion Forum and chat room, and schedule group events on a shared calendar. Community Rooms also include e-mail management and e-mail notification features.
Currently there are over 200 Community Rooms operating in Michigan LearnPort. Community Rooms can be created so that they are: 1) Public, open to any Michigan LearnPort user; 2) Moderated, open to all users but only specified users may post content; or 3) Private, where only invited users may participate. Individual users can be designated: 1) Members, who have ‘read-only’ access; 2) Contributors, who can add content or have “read-write” access; and 3) Owners, who administer the Community Rooms.
Some very active Community Rooms (CR) within Michigan LearnPort are for the School Improvement Facilitators Network comprised of ISD and local district staff who have responsibility for assisting schools with developing and implementing their school improvement plans. One CR is for all of the facilitators and the other CR is for the Planning Committee. Minutes, handouts from workshops or meetings, forms, and the yearly registration brochure are posted In the Content folder. Joyce Miller, Community Room Coordinator states, “This allows for a ‘go to’ location where key information is stored. Time consuming searches for e-mail messages are eliminated or asking, ‘Did I save that file and if yes, what did I name it?’” All Community Room participants are automatically notified when new information is posted.
David Myers, Executive Director of Michigan LearnPort, sees Community Rooms as assisting local districts support and build on their professional development efforts. “The collaborative features of Community Rooms are ideal for helping reinforce the PD that teachers undertake,” Myers states. To assist users in creating and using Community Rooms, there is an excellent multimedia Tutorial. This resource explains step-by-step how to create a Community Room and use the various features.
Michigan LearnPort is a free statewide professional development portal developed through a partnership between Michigan Virtual University® (MVU®) and the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). All members of Michigan’s K-12 community are welcome and encouraged to join. Michigan LearnPort is funded through ESEA Title II part (A).
MASA news:
MASA posts web resources on Federal Policy and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Find the latest news on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ESEA reauthorization, bills you should watch, and more.
Michigan Joint Education Conference - call for proposals
MASA members are invited to present proposals to present to the 2009 Michigan Joint Education Conference, to be held June 24, 2009 at the Holt High School in Holt, Michigan.
This second annual event, intended to establish widespread use of highly relevant integrated curriculum in Michigan Schools, is cosponsored by the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL), Michigan Association of Middle School Educators (MAMSE), Michigan Council for Social Studies (MCSS), Michigan Council for the Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM) and the Michigan Science Teachers Association (MSTA). MASA is a supporting partner.
All speaker proposals need to be submitted on-line at http://www.mijec.org. You will find an application (PDF) as well as a sample proposal. Proposals must be received by April 1, 2009.
Direct questions to Sue Campbell, MiJec Exhibit Coordinator, 734.973.0433 or sue@ucia2.com.
Mark your calendars for MASA President’s Installation Luncheon
This years’ MASA President’s Installation Luncheon is scheduled for Friday, June 12, 2009, noon, at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Big Rapids. The luncheon features the installation of the 2009-2010 Executive Board officers as follows: President Tom Langdon, Big Rapids Public Schools, President-Elect T.C. Wallace, Lansing School District, and Director 2009-2012 Pete Dion, Novi Schools.
Mark your calendar and plan to join us for this important event. Formal invitations for the installation ceremonies and after event will be mailed soon to all members.
2009 Superintendent's Briefing Book: Vital Information for School District Leaders
Only $75 to MASA members
Thanks to our membership in the ERS (Educational Research Service) and a partnership with AASA, we are able to offer limited number of this year’s Superintendent’s Briefing Book for a discounted price of $75.00 (others pay $96.00).
The Briefing Book, which MASA provided at no cost to new superintendents who attended this year’s pre-conference, provides you and your staff with comprehensive, yet concise overviews of the best thinking available on a wide range of top-priority K-12 education concerns. The flexibility of the three-ring-binder format makes it easy to use and share the articles. More importantly, you can use the content to make research-based, data-driven decisions with confidence, and identify programs and practices
Among the issues covered in the 356-page Briefing Book are: critical elements of school improvement, developing principal leadership, providing special supports for students at risk, using data for decisions, staff compensation, and much more! The 2009 Superintendent's Briefing Book will help you:
get up to speed quickly on key PreK-12 topics and issues
learn where to turn for additional information and related resources in areas of special concern to you or your district
share information with staffers that will enhance their productivity
Don’t miss this chance to honor an individual in your community who has shown outstanding leadership and dedication to enrich the lives of children, and who has enhanced children's opportunities for success and achievement in school..
Region presidents are now accepting nominations for MASA’s 2009 Regional Champion for Children awards. Nominees can come from any number of roles in the community—business, service organization, faith community, volunteers or others all qualify.
Don’t delay! Regions have to make their decision by April 3!
Interim Administrators Directory
Are you a retired member looking to put your experience to good use? Are you a school district looking for interim contract service to fill tough positions with highly qualified leaders already familiar with Michigan's education landscape?
MASA offers an opportunity for retired superintendents and first-line administrators to keep their skills sharp, keep a foot in the professional world, and continue to contribute their skills and expertise to schools through the Interim Administrators Directory.
Check out our online Directory, sort listings for fields of expertise, search for contact information, and let us help you connect leadership with schools.
Weeldreyer presented with True Blue Award
Longtime Mattawan Consolidated School Superintendent Jim Weeldreyer, center, was caught off-guard when Ken Mohney, Mattawan High School Director of Student Activities, presented Weeldreyer with the school's "True Blue Award" for, among other things, Weeldreyer's 31 years in the announcer's seat at the high school basketball games. Weeldreyer, who has missed only a few games during his tenure behind the bench, announced his final game on Tuesday night and plans to retire from the school in June.
Welcome to the Winners’ Circle!
Region-wide Professional Development Roundtables
At this year’s MASA Distinguished Administrators’ Luncheon, 10 new MASA members were inducted into the Winners’ Circle. These members were honored by the Membership Services Committee for initiating a unique, successful program or implementing an innovative idea that has had a significant, positive impact on their school districts that can be used by other districts across the state.
Region-wide Professional Development Roundtables
Peter Everson, Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD
Pete Everson coordinates a program of topic-specific professional development for all Region 1 superintendents immediately following monthly Region 1 meetings at Northern Michigan University. While many local ISD superintendents host local roundtable discussions, Everson’s effort assists the entire Upper Peninsula. Everson arranges a presentation for the group on a timely topic (i.e., understanding state aid statements, cooperative services, regional curriculum) and follows it with group discussion. It is reported to be a great tool for connecting superintendents of all experience levels and removes the fear of asking the "stupid question."
Generally, Everson's efforts have resulted in an entire region of better prepared superintendents and a very large network of learners. Everson surveys superintendents, develops the topics, and coordinates the sessions. This program has been well-received by Region 1 superintendents. One participant reports not only benefiting from the sessions, but also finds it to be a great way to connect new superintendents with veterans.
“It has made the new superintendents much more comfortable in their new role and promoted great networking skills, making the rare call for help from a colleague easier to make.”
Students need 21 on ACT retake to qualify for Promise Scholarship
The Michigan Department of Education announced March 1 that students who re-take the ACT in order to qualify for the Michigan Promise Scholarship will need to score a 21 or higher in order to receive funding.
A change in state law last year provides seniors with a second opportunity to be eligible for installment payments for the Michigan Promise Scholarship. Seniors can take only the college entrance portion of the Michigan Merit Exam (which is at this time the ACT) to qualify for installment payments under the following circumstances:
They took the complete Michigan Merit Exam (MME) previously.
They received valid scores in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.
They scored below proficient in one of those subjects.
The ACT score to be considered for installment payments was from an ACT test taken after all three previous requirements were met.
The law stipulates that for these situations, the State Superintendent set a cut score on the college entrance portion of the MME (ACT) that will qualify such students for installment payments. To identify the potential cut score, Michigan Department of Education staff used three different methods of analysis, all of which arrived at approximately the same cut score of 21.
To learn more about how the score was determined, visit www.michigan.gov/mde and click on News & Publications in the left sidebar.
MDE updates personal curriculum guidelines
In December 2008, Public Act 316 (Senate Bill 834) was signed into law, detailing several changes to the original Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements. This bill, combined with additional clarification of certain sections of the original legislation (380.1278b) regarding the personal curriculum, has necessitated some revisions to the original Michigan Department of Education personal curriculum guidelines.
These revisions include:
School personnel may initiate a request for a personal curriculum for a specific student. The parent must still agree to the personal curriculum in order for it to take effect. A school may not implement a personal curriculum for a student without his or her parent’s consent.
Algebra II may be taken over two years for two credits without a personal curriculum.
Districts must offer the personal curriculum option to students. The law states that parents have the option to request a personal curriculum for their child, and districts must have the capacity to respond. A district is not, however, obligated to approve all requests for a personal curriculum.
A principal has the authority to determine the “counselor designee qualified to act in a counseling role” under section 1233 or 1233a of the school code.
The intent of the legislation is that the personal curriculum is a pathway to a diploma. The personal curriculum is a tool to individualize the Michigan Merit Curriculum in order to make it accessible and achievable for all students without undermining the rigor of the Michigan Merit Curriculum or the integrity of the diploma.
Smartphones may help student test performance, cell industry says
The cell phone industry is pushing the idea that students who use smartphones in classrooms will receive the same benefit as those who use laptop computers, but say the phones are smaller and less costly than laptops. Digital Millennial released findings in February that show high-school students using smartphones for math classes performed 25% better on standardized tests than their peers who did without.
Teachers’ views on their profession have become markedly more positive over the past quarter century, at least partially validating the widespread school-improvement efforts of the period, concludes a retrospective survey report released this week by MetLife Inc.
“The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Past, Present, and Future” is the financial company’s 25th annual survey of educators. The series was begun in 1984, one year after the catalytic “A Nation at Risk” report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education, as a way of capturing teachers’ unique and sometimes overlooked perspectives on the conditions in schools and the impact of reform initiatives.
The current report, based in part on a national survey of 1,000 teachers conducted by Harris Interactive, offers a composite look at how those perspectives have changed over the last two and a half decades.
For the most part, according to the report, the trend lines are encouraging.
The percentage of teachers saying that they are "very satisfied" with their careers has increased from 40 in 1984 to 62 in 2008
More teachers today (66 percent) feel respected by society than did their counterparts in 1984 (47 percent).
The percentage of teachers agreeing that they can earn a “decent salary” has nearly doubled since 1984, to 66 percent.
Far more teachers today (75 percent, compared with 45 percent in 1984) say they would recommend a career in teaching to a young person.
Two thirds of today’s teachers affirm that they were well-prepared for the profession, compared with 46 percent in 1984.
Teachers also feel better equipped today than in past years when it comes to addressing student-learning challenges such as poverty, limited English language proficiency, and lack of parental support, according to the report.
Despite the generally positive trajectory of teachers’ responses over the years, however, MetLife’s data does also underscore persistent disparities among schools and mounting challenges facing the country’s public education system.
Teachers in urban and secondary schools, especially those with high concentrations of low-income students, are significantly less likely to rate the academic standards in their schools as excellent, according to the report.
Urban teachers are also considerably less positive than their suburban counterparts on the availability of teaching materials in their schools and the degree of parental support their students receive.
The percentage of teachers responding that limited English proficiency hinders learning for a quarter or more of their students has doubled since 1992, from 11 to 22 percent, with the level reaching 30 percent for urban teachers.
Nearly half of today’s teachers (up from 41 percent in 1992) say that poverty limits the day-to-day capabilities of at least a quarter of their students.
The number of teachers saying that students’ learning abilities in their classes are so varied that they can’t teach effectively has jumped from 39 percent in 1988 to 43 percent today.
Fewer than half of teachers (48 percent), meanwhile, agree that the now-pervasive standardized tests are an effective way to monitor student performance, down from 61 percent in 1984.
Mathematica study finds little difference between traditionally and alternatively certified teachers
Some researchers and teacher groups lash out in response
Every year, thousands of new teachers pass through hundreds of different teacher preparation programs and are hired to teach in the nation's schools. In recent years, "alternative teacher certification" programs have expanded rapidly, offering an increasingly popular route into teaching that differs from that offered by traditional certification programs. Despite the expansion of these new routes into teaching, there exists little research to provide guidance as to the effectiveness of these diverse teacher training strategies.
Mathematica's evaluation of teacher preparation models examined the efficacy of different teacher preparation methods in contributing to students' academic achievement. The study focused on the performance of teachers from two alternative models of teacher preparation—one model with less selective recruiting and substantial coursework requirements, and the other with less selective recruiting and minimal coursework requirements—compared with traditionally prepared teachers teaching in the same schools and grades. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, the effort extended over a 5 and ½-year period and cost a reported $9 million.
The study found, in part:
Both the AC and the TC programs with teachers in the study were diverse in the total instruction they required for their candidates.
While teachers trained in TC programs receive all their instruction (and participate in student teaching) prior to becoming regular full-time teachers, AC teachers do not necessarily begin teaching without having received any formal instruction.
There were no statistically significant differences between the AC and TC teachers in this study in their average scores on college entrance exams, the selectivity of the college that awarded their bachelor’s degree, or their level of educational attainment.
There was no statistically significant difference in performance between students of AC teachers and those of TC teachers.
There is no evidence from this study that greater levels of teacher training coursework were associated with the effectiveness of AC teachers in the classroom.
There is no evidence that the content of coursework is correlated with teacher effectiveness.
Soon after the release of the report, The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) and others indicated disappointment, citing flaws in the study’s design.
Dr. Sharon Robinson, President and CEO of AACTE, noted that the study provides no information helpful to improving teacher preparation. "It does not change what we already know from the existing body of research that clearly shows that high quality teacher preparation and extended coursework – especially in mathematics – do make a difference in student achievement."
During the AASA Governing Board meeting last week, the membership dues rates were established for the coming year. The following table provides you with both the current
rates and the new rates – most remain the same.
Category
Current
2009-10 FY
Active
$403
$403
Small District Active
$180
$180
Institutional
$403
$403
Associate
$376
$403
District/Cabinet or
$202
$180
Subscription (Libraries)
$224
$180
Aspiring School System Leader
$55
$55
Retired
$60
$55
The Associate membership dues will increase slightly and College Professor, Subscription and Retired will be reduced.
If you have any questions, please contact Art Zito: azito@aasa.org
Coming Soon: New AASA Study on Schools and Economy
In late March, AASA will release "Looking Back, Looking Forward: How the Economic Downturn Continues to Impact School Districts," the fifth study in AASA’s well-received series examining the impact of the economic downturn on America’s public schools. View the past AASA studies on this topic at www.aasa.org/policy/econstudies.
Coming Soon: AASA Legislative Toolkit
In late March, AASA will release the AASA Educating the Total Child Toolkit. This online resource, free for AASA members, will provide tools for advocating for the 2009 AASA Legislative Agenda and information about AASA's new Educating the Total Child white paper. View past AASA toolkits at www.aasa.org/publications/toolkits.
AASA Coming Events - Save the Dates!
Economic Stimulus Webinars - March 17 and 24
Leading Bold Change Workshop - March 18-19, AASA Headquarters, Arlington, Va.
2009 Legislative Advocacy Conference, April 22-24, Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Va.
Seattle Summit: Leadership for the Future - July 16-19, Hyatt at Olive 8, Seattle, Wa.
2010 National Conference on Education - Feb. 11-13, Phoenix
The School Administrator magazine publishes a back-page humor column called "Leadership Lite," so they are eager to solicit your stories for possible use. What they’re seeking are short, humorous anecdotes (that generally can be told in no more than four or five paragraphs) that relate to some telling aspect of life in educational administration or the day-to-day work in a school district or a state administrator association. Anecdotes should be based on the contributor's own experience - something you’ve seen or heard or that’s been shared by a colleague.
To spark your creative thinking, AASA is willing to send you electronically a couple of recent installments of “Leadership Lite” as PDF attachments. Please submit stories at any time to Jay Goldman at jgoldman@aasa.org.
in case you missed it:
Battle Creek School to get in-school health clinic
The Calhoun County Public Health Department has received word in February that the state accepted its grant application to build another school-based health center in Calhoun County, this time at Springfield Middle School. The clinic will reportedly give kids easy access to physical and mental health care, targeting those who do not have a family physician already or who are uninsured.
Iowa lawmakers have put the brakes on a controversial idea that would force as many as two-thirds of Iowa's 362 school districts to merge. Instead, they are planning to study the issue for at least the rest of this year.
The bill, House File 265, would direct the Iowa Department of Education to create a committee to evaluate the practicality of consolidating schools as a way to improve student achievement. The committee's first report would not be due until January 2010. Some lawmakers said Monday that the study could take years longer.
Time is a factor because a state budget guarantee that has traditionally assisted school districts with declining enrollments will be phased out within five years. Enrollment is shrinking in 70 percent of Iowa districts, records show.
"If we don't have something in place by 2014, we're going to be screwed," said Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines. Read the article ...
Source: The Des Moines Register, 2.24.09
Should schools rely on fundraisers, donations?
As budgets are cut, more school districts are turning to parent fundraisers and independent foundations to supplement revenue, a decision some officials describe as risky. "School districts face fiscally trying times," said Lorraine Deller, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association in New York. "Unfortunately, foundations and donations are not substantial or dependable enough to make up for the revenue that comes from traditional sources."
The Janesville (Wisconsin) interim school superintendent did something Monday that no previous superintendent has done: She spoke to her staff through a video posted online. Superintendent Karen Schulte said she would make weekly addresses through “vodcasts,” which are available to anyone who can access the district’s Web site.
In her first video, recorded with the help of high school staff, Schulte noted that the district and the wider community face serious challenges in the months ahead because of the economy and local layoffs.
Schulte asked staff members to help her with ideas for saving money to balance the school district’s 2009-10 budget.
Michigan students can enter a statewide writing contest In celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday. “Essays About Lincoln” is sponsored by the Michigan Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Committee, in partnership with the Michigan Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS). Entry deadline is April 4, 2009, and full details are available at www.milincoln.org.
The essay themes are broken out into two categories:
Grades 5-6: Lincoln’s Leadership – Then and Now (What President Lincoln’s Life and Leadership Mean to Me)
Grades 7-8 and 9-12: Lincoln’s Leadership – Then and Now (How President Lincoln’s Life and Leadership Inspire Me Today)
The essay contest is designed to support Michigan English Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum standards, including those for language, literature, voice, depth of understanding, ideas in action, inquiry and research, critical standards, and historical perspective.
For more information, contact the Michigan Commandery at 616.827.3369 or patriotblue1@yahoo.com.
WWC Releases New Practice Guide: Assisting Students Struggling with Reading
This guide offers five specific recommendations to help educators identify struggling readers and implement evidence‑based strategies to promote their reading achievement. Teachers and reading specialists can use these strategies to implement RtI and multi‑tier intervention methods and frameworks at the classroom or school level. Recommendations cover how to screen students for reading problems, design a multi‑tier intervention program, adjust instruction to help struggling readers, and monitor student progress.
Parents and school staff will find this two-page resource useful for determining how well their school accommodates children with asthma. A seven-item questionnaire helps identify sources of problems in schools for children with asthma. Also provided is an extensive resource list for guidance in making school policies and practices more asthma-friendly. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/asthma/friendhi.htm
Straight A’s: Public Education Policy and Progress
Straight A’s: Public Education Policy and Progress is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, D.C., and around the country. The format makes information on federal education policy accessible to everyone from elected officials and policymakers to parents and community leaders. The Alliance for Excellent Education is a non-profit organization working to make it possible for America’s 6 million at-risk middle and high school students to achieve high standards and graduate prepared for college and success in life. To learn more about the Alliance for Excellent Education, or to access past reports, visit www.all4ed.org.
School districts in search of affordable and stable workers’ compensation insurance should consider obtaining a quote from the SEG Self-Insurer Workers’ Compensation Fund. Since 1977, the Fund has helped educational organizations achieve long-term cost savings. The Fund currently serves 474 members and is the largest self-insured fund for schools in Michigan. 
Pete Everson coordinates a program of topic-specific professional development for all Region 1 superintendents immediately following monthly Region 1 meetings at Northern Michigan University. While many local ISD superintendents host local roundtable discussions, Everson’s effort assists the entire Upper Peninsula. Everson arranges a presentation for the group on a timely topic (i.e., understanding state aid statements, cooperative services, regional curriculum) and follows it with group discussion. It is reported to be a great tool for connecting superintendents of all experience levels and removes the fear of asking the "stupid question."
Teachers’ views on their profession have become markedly more positive over the past quarter century, at least partially validating the widespread school-improvement efforts of the period, concludes a retrospective survey report released this week by MetLife Inc. 