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Megan McDonald Speaks for School Librarians in New PSA
 A new PSA featuring Megan McDonald, author of the beloved Judy Moody and Stink books and spokesperson for AASL’s 2016 celebration of School Library Month, is now available. In the PSA, McDonald speaks to how school librarians transform learning by inspiring and feeding the curiosity of their students. The PSA and instructions on how to embed the video on school library websites can be viewed at www.ala.org/aasl/slm/2016/psa.
AASL Seeks Webinar Proposals
AASL invites school librarians looking to share best practices with their peers and subject matter experts to submit proposals for AASL eCOLLAB webinars. AASL seeks webinars 45-60 minutes in length to be presented/released between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2016. Proposals may be submitted using the AASL Get Involved form. Proposals should include up to three learning objectives and should address how the webinar subject matter supports AASL’s mission of empowering leaders to transform teaching and learning. Consideration will be given to submissions that demonstrate innovative thinking and/or new perspectives or present strategies for effectively implementing new ideas and technology.
ALA, AASL Support School Librarians in Houston Independent School District
The American Library Association (ALA) and AASL are assisting local efforts in Houston to maintain and expand school librarian positions, as a current proposal mandating a certified school librarian in every school in the Houston Independent School District is currently under scrutiny. ALA and AASL came out in support of this proposal in an op-ed published in the Houston Chronicle on March 4. Penned by ALA President Sari Feldman and AASL President Leslie Preddy, the op-ed reminds school district administrators of the critical importance of certified school librarians as educators, teaching students essential literacy and research skills, and preparing them for higher education and the workplace.
AASL Bridges Dues for Student Members
Student members of AASL can now apply for a scholarship to “bridge” the increase between student and regular membership dues. Applications for this competitive program, co-sponsored by the ALA Membership Development Office, are due May 2, 2016, and will cover renewals based on recipient’s current membership cycle. Information on how to apply can be found at www.ala.org/aasl/awards/student. Twenty scholarships will be awarded annually to student members no longer eligible for student dues pricing. The scholarship will bridge the cost difference between student and regular membership dues for three years, allowing recipients to establish themselves both in their career and financially.
New SLR Articles Explore School Library Advocacy and Research Methods
 Two new articles covering the topics of school library advocacy and comparable research measurements are now available in AASL's peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research (SLR). In “Anatomy of Advocacy: A Case Study of the White House Petition” a team of researchers from Old Dominion University examines school library advocacy efforts related to political initiatives. The article “Are Self-Perception Measures Used in School Library Research Transferable to the Context of Public Library Summer Reading Programs?” details the findings of a research team out of Syracuse University.
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The U.S. Department of Education is soliciting nominations for Regional Advisory Committees to provide input on the technical assistance being provided by the Comprehensive Centers for the implementation of educational programs. There are ten regions served by the Regional Educational Laboratories as part of the Comprehensive Centers program. To assess the needs for technical assistance within these regions, the RACs will seek input from chief executive officers of states; chief state school officers; educators, including teachers and administrators; local educational agencies (LEAs); librarians; businesses; state educational agencies (SEAs); and other stakeholders within each region. Nominations are due April 20.
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Six AASL Members Named LJ Movers and Shakers
Six members of AASL were named in the 2016 class of Library Journal Movers and Shakers. The list recognizes those who are changing the face of libraries of all types and sizes. The Advocate includes:
Community Builders include:
- Adam Marcus, school library media specialist at Public School 32 in Brooklyn, NY
- Andy Plemmons, school library media specialist at David C. Barrow Elementary School in Georgia
Educators include:
- Jeffrey DiScala, lecturer for the Lilead Fellows Program and the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland
- Sue Kowalski, school librarian at Pine Grove Middle School in East Syracuse, NY
- Ann Carlson Weeks, associate dean for academic programs at the University of Maryland
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Gretchen Hazlin Named 2016 Potomac Region Librarian of the Year
Gretchen Hazlin, the head librarian at Kilmer Middle School, has been named the 2016 Potomac Region Librarian of the Year by the Virginia Association of School Librarians (VAASL). Hazlin was selected by a committee of school librarians from across the region as the nominee who best showcased innovative and collaborative instruction in her school’s library. Hazlin is now in contention to be the VAASL School Librarian of the Year, competing against candidates from across Virginia, to be announced in October at the VAASL state conference.
Amy Bloom Receives MSLA's 2016 Super Librarian Accolade
 Amy Bloom, school librarian at Wilson Middle School in Natick, Massachusetts, received the Massachusetts School Library Association's 2016 Massachusetts Super Librarian Accolade. "This award recognizes a school librarian who shows excellence in promoting student learning through an exemplary school library program," a press release says. Bloom will be recognized at an awards ceremony at UMASS Amherst on April 30.
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Report: U.S. Ranks 7th in Literacy
 The US ranks seventh in literacy in a recent international ranking of more than 60 countries by John Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn. Finland tops the list. The report ranks nations on their populace’s literate behaviors and their supporting resources. The rankings are based on five categories standing as indicators of the literate health of nations: libraries, newspapers, education inputs and outputs, and computer availability. This multidimensional approach to literacy speaks to the social, economic, and governmental powers of nations around the globe.
Senate Confirms John King Jr. as U.S. Education Secretary
Last month the Senate voted to confirm John King Jr. as U.S. Education Secretary. Seven Republicans joined Democrats in voting 49 to 40 in favor of King’s confirmation. King, 41, has been serving as acting secretary since his predecessor Arne Duncan stepped down at the end of 2015. A former teacher, principal and charter-school founder, he led New York’s state education department from 2011 until 2014, when he joined the U.S. Education Department.
Many Grads Believe They're Ready Academically But Aren't
 A report from the Center for Community College Student Engagement highlights a disconnect between students' perceptions of college readiness and their actual preparedness. Of some 50,000 students surveyed, 86 percent reported that they were academically prepared to succeed in college, yet 68 percent had to take remedial courses. The report shares ways in which colleges are thinking creatively about remediation and acceleration.
Rethinking 12th Grad into a “Transition Zone”
Millions of American teenagers stumble through senior year, barely completing required coursework or unable to make up enough ground to graduate. Many who do enter college are placed in remedial classes, some of which are too daunting or expensive to lead them to move onto credit-bearing classes or ever complete a degree. A new report from the nonprofit Jobs for the Future suggests the creation of a "transition zone" between high school and college to replace the traditional 12th grade experience and to get kids more ready for the future.
13 States Pledge to Support Open Educational Resources
 Thirteen states will participate in the US Department of Education's #GoOpen initiative, which promotes the use of open educational resources, or online school materials -- rather than traditional textbooks. "With the launch of statewide #GoOpen initiatives, states are helping districts transition to a new model of learning by facilitating the creation of an open ecosystem of digital resources that can increase equity and empower teachers," said Joseph South, director of the Office of Educational Technology.
US Lags behind Other Countries in Literacy, Technology, and Math
High-school graduates in the US perform on average or below average in literacy, technology and math when compared with international counterparts, according to a study by the Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies. Data show that the US is about average in literacy, but it lags behind in math and technology.
How Common Core Is Changing Education
Test scores vary little between states using Common Core State Standards and those not using the standards, according to a report from the Brown Center on Education Policy. Data show Common Core is changing instruction, with 45% of teachers emphasizing nonfiction in 2015, up from 38% in 2011.
73% of Teachers Use Open Educational Resources More Than Textbooks
Seventy-three percent of teachers participating in a recent survey said they use open educational resources more often than traditional textbooks. The survey also showed that technology has changed how a majority of the teachers manage their time and approach to instruction.
Students Give Newly Redesigned SAT Exams Positive Reviews
The newly redesigned SAT college entrance exam is getting good reviews from some of the students who took it. The new exam focuses less on arcane vocabulary words and more on real-world learning and analysis by students. Students no longer will be penalized for guessing. And the essay has been made optional. The College Board says more than 463,000 test-takers signed up to take the new SAT in March, up slightly from a year ago.
Most Minority Students Attend Schools with High-Poverty Rates
A majority of African-American and Latino students attend schools where at least 75 percent of students are from poor or low-income families, according to an analysis of data on the 100 largest US cities from the National Equity Atlas. This article examines the implications for students in these schools.
School Library Services Focus of Audit Request in California
 The California Joint Legislative Audit Committee has approved an audit request by Senator Tony Mendoza to determine whether California’s K-12 schools are providing the mandated services to students, and if those services are being provided by fully trained, credentialed teacher librarians. “I am concerned that schools throughout California are not providing the state’s K-12 school children statutorily-required library services staffed by a fully-credentialed teacher librarian,” said Senator Mendoza. “My audit request requires the California State Auditor to examine school districts and county offices of education across the state to determine if they are meeting their statutory responsibilities to provide library services to every K-12 student.”
National Writing Project Benefits Teachers and Students
The results of a two-year study on the National Writing Project, a teacher professional-development program with nearly 200 sites around the country, show that the program had a positive impact on both teachers' instructional practice and student writing. Since professional development directly affects teachers but only reaches students indirectly, professional-development programs don't often find strong impacts at the student level. But the study, conducted by SRI International, found positive, statistically significant effects on the content, structure, and stance of students' argument writing.
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Resources for School Librarians
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Mobile Apps That Can Help Foster Reading Readiness in Students with Special Needs
In this blog post, Jayne Clare, a special-education teacher and educational app curator, shares seven mobile applications that can help foster reading readiness among students with special needs. Before using the apps, though, she cautions that it is important to understand whether students are developmentally ready to learn.
How School Districts Are Engaging Students in Coding
 School districts nationwide are using innovative means to engage students in coding, according to Melissa Gedney, community manager for the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools. In this commentary, she shares specific ways schools and districts are exposing students to coding, some as early as kindergarten.
Proactive IT Strategies That Can Keep Students Safe
An influx of new technology in schools has opened students up to some risk, asserts Harold Reaves, global manager for Absolute Safe Schools. In this commentary, he shares several ways schools can keep students safe while learning online and protect their technology investments.
A Framework to Integrate QR Codes in the Classroom
 Quick-response codes can be valuable tools for teaching and learning, suggests Monica Burns, an author and speaker. In this blog post, she describes her ACES framework -- access, curate, engage and share -- to integrate scannables, such as QR codes, in the classroom.
Podcasts Can Encourage Students to Read
Podcasts can be valuable tools for teaching and learning, English teacher Michael Godsey writes in this commentary. He discovered his students enjoyed reading transcripts while listening to podcasts, with some saying the method helps them stay focused.
Using Word Clouds for Language Arts Lessons
 Pennsylvania educator and author Marilyn Pryle offers 10 lesson ideas that use word clouds, or "wordles," to teach language-arts concepts. Pryle also explains the rules used to create these collages and provides advice on finding and creating word clouds for classroom use.
Shining the Light on Writing across Subjects
Teaching young students to write across the curriculum develops their higher-level thinking skills and provides a way to assess their knowledge, writes Idaho kindergarten teacher Shari Carter. In this blog post, Carter describes how she incorporates writing across subjects and offers ideas for scaffolding vocabulary and spelling in the classroom.
5 Ways to Use QR Codes in Schools
Quick-response codes can serve various purposes in education such as differentiating instruction, distributing materials and communicating with families, technology integration specialist Monica Burns writes in this blog post. She highlights five ways to use QR codes in teaching and learning.
How to Boost Comprehension with Targeted Questions
 Posing targeted questions during guided readings can serve as writing or discussion prompts to help students deepen their understanding of a text, Michigan educator Genia Connell writes in this blog post. She provides examples of tools for guided readings, such as having students select questions for their written response about inferences, author's purpose and making connections.
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Partnership and Collaborator News
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Study Reveals College- and Career-Readiness Trends
 Fifteen states include the number of students completing a college-readiness curriculum in state accountability systems, according to a report by Achieve in which the authors conclude states could be doing more to monitor college and career readiness. Data also show only seven states track the proportion of students "on track" to graduate.
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ALA Public Programs Office Great Stories Club
The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office has announced a new round of the Great Stories Club, a reading and discussion program for at-risk teens, supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The 2016 offering will feature books under the theme “The Art of Change: Creation, Growth and Transformation.” Working with small groups of 6 to 10 teens, grantees will host reading and discussion events for each of three selected book titles. The titles—selected in consultation with librarian advisors and humanities scholars—are chosen to resonate with reluctant readers struggling with complex issues like incarceration, violence, and poverty. Eligible libraries are located within or working in partnership with organizations that serve at-risk youth. Up to 75 grants will be awarded. Applications are due April 15.
2016 ALA Leadership Institute
The application process for the 2016 “Leading to the Future” ALA Leadership Institute (August 8-11, Eaglewood Resort, Itasca, Illinois) is now open. Building on the success of the past three ALA Leadership Institutes, and with support from Innovative Interfaces, the four-day immersive leadership development program for up to 40 mid-career librarians will be led again by ALA Past-President Maureen Sullivan and library and leadership consultant Kathryn Deiss. Applications will be accepted through April 15, 2016.
Beacon Society Grants
The Beacon Society grants are now available. The grants, in honor of Sherlockian, Jan Stauber, will provide up to $500 to fund the development of a project that will introduce young people to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories about his famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. The grant period will be from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017. The deadline for 2016 grant applications is May 1, 2016.
ALA Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming
School libraries are invited to apply for a $5,000 award recognizing outstanding humanities programming in kindergarten through eighth grade, the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office announced. Applications, award guidelines and a list of previous winners are available at www.ala.org/jaffarian. Nominated programs must have taken place during the current school year (2015-16). Programs that are still in progress as of the award deadline are eligible, and libraries are encouraged to self-nominate. Nominations for the 2016 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming must be received by May 6, 2016
IAL Grant Applications
The Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) grant application cycle begins this month. The IAL program supports high-quality programs designed to develop and improve literacy skills for children and students from birth through 12th grade in high-need local educational agencies. The department intends to support innovative programs that promote early literacy for young children, motivate older children to read, and increase student achievement by using school libraries as partners to improve literacy, distributing free books to children and their families, and offering high-quality literacy activities. The deadline for applications is May 9.
Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE Cart/Campbell Grant for Librarians
The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE (ALAN) is offering the Cart/Campbell Grant. The grant offers $500 funding plus complimentary registration toward attendance at the annual two-day ALAN Workshop. Eligible applicants are practicing librarians working with teens in high school, junior high school, middle school, or public libraries. Membership in ALAN is required for consideration. One Campbell/Cart Grant will be awarded annually, and each recipient may only receive the grant once. The deadline for application submissions is September 1 of the year of the ALAN Workshop to be attended, and the recipient will receive notification by October 1.
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 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 Lehi, Utah; Charlotte, NC; Fargo, ND; Reno, NV, Redmond, WA; Las Colinas, TX; and St. Louis, MO. Maximum award: free attendance to camp. Eligibility: girls grades 9-11 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, as well as 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.
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