|
|
|
|
Federal Support for School Libraries Closer to Fruition
Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The bill now moves on to the Senate and if passed, and signed into law, will be the first piece of federal legislation in over 50 years to provide school libraries with a dedicated revenue stream to enhance school library services and resources. AASL President Leslie Preddy and American Library Association (ALA) President Sari Feldman released the following joint statement in response to the vote: “The AASL and ALA commend the House for passing the Conference Report, which has multiple provisions included as part of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that would support effective school library programs. We are pleased to support this critical legislation. Improvements contained under ESSA that include effective school library programs will help ensure that all students graduating from America’s schools will be adequately prepared for college, career and workforce success."
AASL 17th National Conference & Exhibition Concludes after Providing School Librarians with Tools to Transform, Empower
 The AASL 17th National Conference in Columbus, Ohio, came to a close November 8. Attended by more than 2,600 school librarians, administrators, and exhibitors, the conference empowered school librarians to continue their roles as education leaders within a technology-driven academic landscape. Themed “Experience Education Evolution,” the event brought together school librarians, educators, authors and exhibitors at the only national conference dedicated solely to the needs of school librarians. Attendees participated in preconference workshops, author events, more than 100 concurrent sessions and access to an exhibition featuring companies relevant to school libraries and their users.
AASL Celebrates 65th Anniversary with Giving Campaign
 AASL is celebrating 65 years of service to school librarians with a giving campaign to help ensure the future of the school library profession. Help AASL transform the future with a gift by donating online. Donors at the $65-$649 level will receive the 65th anniversary lapel pin with a simulated sapphire; donors at the $650 level and above will receive the 65th anniversary lapel pin with a simulated diamond.
Submit an Article for Upcoming May/June KQ
 Interested in writing for Knowledge Quest? The deadline for submitting a manuscript for the May/June issue of KQ is December 11. KQ is seeking original, unpublished manuscripts that address the integration of theory and practice in school librarianship and new developments in education, learning theory, and relevant disciplines. Knowledge Quest is devoted to offering substantive information to assist building-level school librarians, supervisors, library educators, and other decision makers concerned with the development of school library programs and services.
|
|
Dona Helmer Receives I Love My Librarian Award
 Dona Helmer, librarian at College Gate Elementary School in Anchorage, Alaska, was named one of the ten winners of the I Love My Librarian Award. This year's recipients were selected for their dedicated public service and the valuable role they play in our nation’s communities in transforming lives through education. Helmer "provides an invaluable hands-on approach to learning that opens up new worlds for students." The awards were handed out December 3.
Nicole Cruz Receives South Texas Literacy Coalition Excellence in School Librarianship Award
 Nicole Cruz, lead librarian in the Sharyland Independent School District in Mission, TX, received the South Texas Literacy Coalition Excellence in School Librarianship Award. Cruz was nominated for the honor by UTRGV Librarian Billy Cryer, who stated, "I've always been really impressed by her passion for students and for encouraging literacy and reading. She works more than 40 hours a week and has never complained. I think, for me, that's why she's a big inspiration. She's really selfless."
Kay Wejrowski’s School Library Program Awarded National School Board Association Magna Grand Prize Award
 Kay Wejrowski was awarded the National School Board Association’s Magna Grand Prize Award for her school library’s reading initiative at Swan Valley in Saginaw, MI. Each year she selects a literacy theme for students, teachers, administrators, parents, the school board, and community groups. “Read for Peace—Work For Justice” was the theme for the 2013-14 school year. As part of her initiative, students in different classes read different books: family relations students read a testimonial of spousal abuse in Crazy Love by Leslie Morgan Steiner; all ninth-graders read Touching Spirit Bear; and psychology students read Annie’s Ghosts.
Beatrice Gerrish Featured for Classification System
 Beatrice Gerrish’s new classification system, the Monarch Method, is featured in an article online in the Boulder Daily Camera. Gerrish, librarian at Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado, couldn't find a classification system she liked for a school library, so she decided to create her own. Her system organizes the library's 15,000 books by subject instead of genre, with color coded labels to denote if a book is fiction, a biography, an autobiography, etc. "It's much better for kids who don't like to read and casual library users, who don't know all the titles and author names," she said.
|
|
Report Outlines the Integral Role of the School Librarian
 Last month Scholastic released the 2016 edition of “School Libraries Work!,” a research report that proves school librarians and libraries have a positive impact on student learning. The report debunks a few myths including that kids and teens, as digital natives, “just know” how to find the information they need. It finds that 75 percent of kids and teens have no idea how to locate articles and resources they need for their research, while 60 percent don’t verify the accuracy or reliability of the information they do find. National- and state-level findings from more than 30 separate research studies are included in the compendium, demonstrating the integral role school libraries play in teaching and supporting student learning.
Children Becoming More Trusting of What They See Online
One in five 12- to 15-year-olds believe information returned by a search engine such as Google or Bing must be true, yet only a third of them are able to identify paid-for advertisements in these results, according to a study from Ofcom. In addition, nearly one in ten (8%) of all children aged 8-15 who go online believe information from social media websites or apps is “all true” – doubling from 4% in 2014. Children are also increasingly turning to YouTube for “true and accurate” information about what’s going on in the world.
Computer-Based Reading Helps Close Gender Gap
 Boys are better at computer-based reading -- potentially because they play more video games -- according to a recent analysis by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The analysis of 46 countries finds that the gender gap in reading was wider in print than when students used digital material.
Personalized Learning Pays Off
 A new study from the RAND Corporation shows that students in schools using personalized learning strategies made greater academic progress over the course of two years than a comparison group of similar students. According to the study, schools with the greatest achievement gains reported strong implementation of student grouping strategies driven by data and responsive to student needs; provision of data to students and including them in discussions of the data; and learning spaces that support personalized learning strategies.
The Nation’s Report Card: 2015 Mathematics and Reading Assessments
The 2015 trend in national average mathematics scores show a decline at both grades since the last assessment in 2013, according to a new report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Average scores for reading in 2015 declined at grade 8; there was no significant change in the reading score for fourth-grade students. Over the long term, however, scores were higher in 2015 in both subject and grades compared to the initial assessments in the early 1990s. The online report presents results from the NAEP 2015 mathematics and reading assessments. The report includes national and state results on the performance of fourth- and eighth-grade students.
RTI for Literacy May Not Improve Student Performance
Response to intervention may not improve student performance in reading, according to a study of more than 20,000 students in 13 states by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. Data show first-graders reading below level who received interventions performed worse than peers who did not.
PARCC Focuses on Exam Transparency
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers recently released hundreds of questions used this year on exams administered to students. PARCC also is releasing scoring guides and other information intended to provide more transparency about the exams to teachers and parents.
Study Examines Mobile Device Use among Children
Almost 97% of parents said their children used mobile devices, most of whom started before their first birthday, according to a study published in Pediatrics. The findings, based on a survey of 289 parents of 350 children who lived in a low-income, urban, minority community, showed three-fourths of the children owned their own mobile device at age 4; 20% had their own tablet at age 1; 28% can navigate a mobile device on their own at age 2; and 21% own a gaming console at age 4.
The Digital Disparities Facing Teenagers in Low-Income Households
 Teenagers in lower-income households have fewer desktop, laptop and tablet computers to use at home than their higher-income peers, according to a study from Common Sense Media. And those disparities may influence more than how teenagers socialize, entertain themselves and apply for college or jobs. Only one-fourth of teenagers in households with less than $35,000 in annual income said they had their own laptops compared with 62 percent in households with annual incomes of $100,000 or more. One-fifth of teenagers in lower-income households reported that they use computers for homework once per month or less.
Should Schools Change How They Purchase Digital Resources?
 Schools may need to alter the way they purchase digital instructional materials, a recent report from SETDA finds. The report notes that accessibility, interoperability and device access should be considered when purchasing digital resources, and it outlines what states and other entities can do to support schools. When acquiring digital instructional materials, the cost associated with access to broadband and devices is a pivotal factor, according to the report.
Personalized Learning, Technology Boost Student Achievement
Students benefit from personalized learning -- particularly when they have access to digital tools -- according to studies conducted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Data also connect greater gains to longer engagement in personalized learning.
Schools’ Poverty Level Affects Perception of Computer Science
 Teachers at schools with a higher percentage of low-income students are more likely to believe that students should take computer-science courses, according to a recent Gallup survey conducted on behalf of Google. However, the survey also found that teachers in more affluent schools were more likely to feel that their school boards support computer science in schools. Many students, parents, teachers, and school administrators do not properly distinguish between computer science activities and general computer literacy.
42 States, D.C. Tie Teacher Reviews to Student Scores
Forty-two states and the District of Columbia have policies that tie student growth and achievement to teacher reviews -- up from 15 in 2009 -- according to a report by the National Council on Teacher Quality. The growth in performance-based teacher evaluations can be attributed, in part, to the rollout of the federal Race to the Top program.
|
|
Resources for School Librarians
|
|
Reading Is Fundamental Launches Read for Success
 Reading Is Fundamental has introduced Read for Success, an evidence-based program intervention designed to improve reading proficiency among K-3 students. Through vocabulary-rich classroom books partnered with standards-based activities and professional development, educators motivate students to continue to read all year long. Aside from the classroom materials, students select eight books to take home for the summer (and keep). Tested over a two-year period as part of an Innovative Approaches to Literacy grant from the U.S. Department of Education, RIF’s model is designed to curb the “summer learning slide.”
Harvard Law to Create Free, Searchable Online Database
Harvard's Law School Library is creating a free, searchable database of American case law. Officials say the effort will expand access to documents. "We feel an obligation and an opportunity here to open up our resources to the public," said Martha Minow, dean of Harvard Law School.
Four Models for Co-Teaching Instruction
Co-teachers should try various models to find what works to meet the needs of all learners in the classroom, instructional coach Elizabeth Stein writes in this blog post. She offers an overview of four co-teaching models, how they work and links to resources.
Three Big Ideas for Blended Learning Success
 Blended learning may be preferable to online-only learning options for some learners, Fred Ende, assistant director of curriculum and instructional services for Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES in New York, writes in this blog post. He shares three "big ideas" to help make blended learning successful.
How Technology Can Promote Equity in Schools
In this blog post, Robert Dillon, director of technology and innovation at Affton School District in Missouri, shares seven ways technology can promote equity in schools. Ideas include virtual field trips, community-based learning and virtual connections.
Five Ways Digital Badges Can Improve PD
Digital badges can help boost teacher professional development, writes Terry Grier, superintendent of the Houston Independent School District. In this commentary, Grier shares how the district used a badge system to improve teacher PD.
Five Ways to Link Professional Learning Communities and Networks
Infusing professional learning communities with ideas from a larger professional learning network can energize and improve instructional practice, Georgia educator Vicki Davis writes in this blog post. She shares five ideas, such as having less tech-savvy teachers participate in blended professional learning.
How One Teachers Uses Role Playing Games to Enhance Literacy Skills
 Kip Glazer, an English teacher in a California high school, uses tabletop role-playing games to enhance students' study of literature and to teach critical-thinking and literacy skills. Glazer explains how students must read texts closely, research time periods and craft arguments to support a character's role in the story line of the book "Fahrenheit 451" and the game.
How to Bring up the Volume in Writing
Integrating sound and digital tools into the writing process engages students, but good storytelling and writing remains central to such projects, educator Kevin Hodgson writes. In this blog post, he shares the "Why I write" podcast that students recorded for the National Day on Writing. He also shares how the "Voice Typing" tool helps students learn to proofread and edit their work that is translated from speech to text on the computer.
|
|
Partnership and Collaborator News
|
|
The Barriers to Better Internet Connectivity
 Cost is one of the top reasons schools do not have better Internet connectivity, according to the Consortium for School Networking's Infrastructure Survey. Other barriers include network speed and capacity, lack of competition among carriers, E-rate changes and the risk of digital inequity.
Nearly 80% of Schools Have Reliable, Fast Internet Connections
About 77% of schools in the US have reliable and fast Internet connections -- up from about 30% in 2013 -- according to a report released by EducationSuperHighway. However, 21 million students continue to be left behind; 23% of school districts are still not meeting the FCC minimum Internet access goal. There are three main roadblocks: access to fiber; affordability of broadband, and insufficient school district budgets.
SpeakUp 2015 Surveys Now Open
 SpeakUp is the only annual, national survey to ask students, educators, and parents how they use--and how they would like to use--technology for learning. School librarians have their own set of survey questions, so this is your chance to share your thoughts and opinions with your community, your state, and the nation! SpeakUp reports are presented to administrators, teachers, and parents, as well as state and national policymakers. The survey offers AASL a powerful advocacy tool to highlight school librarians' opinions. In 2014, the survey reported the “emergence of the librarian as a digital leader within the school community.” This year, SpeakUp is anxious to see “how the role of the librarian is changing in many schools–and the impact that these 'digital content sherpas' can have on enhancing students’ learning experiences in the classroom and beyond.” Take the 20-minute survey by December 18.
|
|
2016-2017 Teaching and Principal Ambassador Fellowships
Each year the Department of Education hires a cadre of practicing teachers and principals to share their expertise as ED works to develop and implement policy. Now is your chance to get involved, learn about federal education policy, and even impact it. Applications close on December 14.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation invites applications for its prestigious Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Cooke Scholars will receive up to $40,000 per year for up to three years of study at any four-year accredited college or university. In addition to financial support, the program helps students make the transition to four-year colleges and maximize their campus experiences with the support of counselors and a network of nearly 2,000 extraordinary scholars and alumni. Cooke Scholars also have additional opportunities such as internships, study abroad, and even continued funding for graduate school. Applications must be received by December 15, 2015.
LRNG Innovators Challenge Grant
The LRNG Innovators Challenge supports youth advocates who work together to develop new practices, arrangements, curricula, and/or projects that have, at their core, principles of Connected Learning—interest-driven, production-centered, peer-supported work by young people. Applicants will receive $20,000 to implement a project that proposes an innovative idea that connects in-school and out-of-school learning and creates opportunities for young people to follow their interests. Successful applicants must assemble a team comprising of representatives from both in school and out of school. The deadline to apply is Jan. 13.
The Big Read Grant Program
 The Big Read is now accepting applications for its 2016–2017 grant program. The Big Read, founded in 2006 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and managed by Arts Midwest, supports and funds community reading programs that focus on a single book or poet. It will award 75 organizations grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. Grantees can choose from novels offered in the Big Read library. Along with the grant, the organizations receive online training, digital guides and promotional materials to bolster community involvement. Entries are due January 27, 2016. The Big Read also encourages libraries to host creative events, such as art exhibits, theatrical readings, cook-offs, and festivals.
Follett Challenge
The Follett Challenge is an advocacy program designed to give educators a platform to share their stories of innovating ways to teach skills needed in the 21st century. Submissions must demonstrate how the program is preparing students for the demands of the 21st century. The online application process includes a 3- to 5-minute video about the program. The winner will be determined by a team of judges and the number of votes videos receive online. Entries are due by January 29, 2016.
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Grants
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, which fosters children’s love of reading and creative expression, celebrates the 28th year of its Mini-Grant program—and Keats’s 100th birthday—with a call for proposals that reflect the work and vision of the program’s namesake. Approximately 60 grants of up to $500 each will be awarded to qualifying teachers and librarians at public schools and libraries across the country. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2016.
Department of State-Sponsored Study Abroad Programs
Applications are now being accepted for the Department of State sponsored study abroad programs for U.S. high school students for 2016-17:
- National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)
- Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad (YES Abroad)
- Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) with Germany
These merit-based scholarships include international airfare, tuition, and program costs, as well as meals and living accommodations (often with a host family). The programs have no language prerequisites and gap year students are encouraged to apply as long as they meet the age requirements. Each program has a separate online application process, and application deadlines vary from late October through early January. Visit the program websites or www.exchanges.state.gov for specific information and application deadlines.
GreenPal Small Business Scholarship
Greenpal Lawncare is accepting applications for the annual GreenPal Small Business Scholarship to assist a motivated, driven student and future business leader. The program is open to any graduating high school senior, college freshman, or sophomore who owns and operates his/her own small business or has put together a business plan to start a business while in college. In addition, applicants must be in a graduating high school's senior class in 2015 or be currently enrolled in a college of business with a 3.0 or higher GPA; demonstrate high ambition and desire to be an entrepreneur or business owner; and have a declared major in a college of business.
Microsoft DigiGirlz High Tech Camp
Microsoft DigiGirlz High Tech Camp for girls works to dispel stereotypes of the high-tech industry. During the camp session, the girls listen to executive speakers, participate in technology tours and demonstrations, network, and learn through hands-on experience in workshops. This year camps will take place at various dates throughout the summer in Stonybrook, NY; Charlotte, NC; Fargo, ND; Redmond, WA; Las Colinas, TX; and St. Louis, MO. Maximum award: free attendance to camp. Eligibility: girls grades 9-11 in the 2015-2016 school year, and at least age 13 at time of application, with some location exceptions. Deadline: varies by location.
Fund for Teachers Grants
 The Fund for Teachers provides funds for direct grants to teachers to support summer learning opportunities of their own design. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: teachers who work with students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, with a minimum of three years teaching experience, full-time, spending at least 50 percent of the time in the classroom at the time grants are approved and made. Deadline: varies by state.
Grants to Increase Access to Healthy Foods from the No Kid Hungry Foundation
Providing students access to healthy and nutritious meals is the focus of No Kid Hungry Foundation grants. Currently, the foundation supports projects that increase access to summer meal programs, school breakfast and after-school snacks and meals. Plus, advocacy efforts, including anti-hunger issues and needs and educating families about SNAP and the Women, Infants, and Children programs. Interested schools can submit letters of inquiry year-round. Prize: Average grants range from $5,000 to $10,000. Deadline: Rolling.
The Awesome Foundation Grants for Projects
The Awesome Foundation funds projects that challenge and expand our understanding of our individual and communal potentials, bringing communities together, casting aside social inhibitions and boundaries for a moment. Maximum award: $1,000. Eligibility: all people and organizations; there are no prerequisites. Deadline: rolling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
