AUGUST 2002 HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

1. Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program
2. New STAR Resources
3. California English Language Development Test (CELDT)
4. CAHSEE - Individual Student Score Reports
5. Aggregate CAHSEE Reports and CD-ROMS
6. SAT May Get More Difficult
7. "Teaching To The Test"
8. Engaging Hispanic/Latino Parents in Schools
9. Free Teacher, Parent, Teen Alliance Toolkit Available
10. Youth Voter Corps Initiated
11. Tools for Starting a Volunteer or Service Learning Project
12. College Resources for Students and Parents
13. Learning with a Public Purpose
14. Guide to Copyright Laws
15. Legal Brief: Drug Testing in Schools
16. Weeding A Bad School Culture
17. Characteristics of Effective Learning Environments
18. AASA Center for Best Practices
19. Federal Report on Special Education
20. Report on State Policies to Improve the High School
21. "School Grants" Offers Examples of Successful Proposals
22. Grant: PG&E Environmental Education Program
23. Grant: IBM Reinventing Education
24. Grant: The Corning Foundation
25. Grant: CalServe Initiative Partnership Renewal Grant
26. Grant:  Local Flexibility Demonstrations Program
27. Grant:  21st Century Community Centers Learning Program
28. After-School Programs Can Apply To Be Title I Supplemental Services Provider

1.  STANDARDIZED TESTING AND REPORTING (STAR) PROGRAM

The California Standards Test and Stanford 9 results began arriving in districts the week of July 22. The 2002 STAR Performance Reports need to be distributed to parents within 20 working days of receipt in the districts. The Internet STAR reports will be posted on August 15. http://star.cde.ca.gov/star/2020

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2.  NEW STAR RESOURCES

Several new STAR resources are now available on the California Department of Education (CDE) Web site. A revised "Teacher Guide for the California Writing Standards Tests at Grade 4 and 7" includes sample writing prompts and student responses for all of the writing types identified as appropriate for testing at these grade levels. "Reporting 2002 STAR Results to Parents/Guardians: Assistance Packet for Districts/Schools" is designed to assist schools and districts answer questions parents/guardians may have about the 2002 STAR program. The document includes samples of the new 2002 STAR Performance (Parent) Reports. Sample letters that schools can use to communicate information to parents/guardians about the STAR program are included. These letters are available in a form that may be modified to meet local needs. Spanish translations of the 2002 STAR Performance reports for Grades 4, 7, and 9 are also available. http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/star

The second annual administration of the CELDT is scheduled from July 1, 2002, through October 31, 2002. Form B materials must be used to assess all identified English Language Learners during this window. Districts must secure and destroy all remaining Form A CELDT materials. Furthermore, students who received an Early Advanced or Advanced proficiency level for Listening/Speaking are not required to take this section again provided they remain within the same grade span for the 2002 annual assessment. Additional guidelines regarding this exemption can be found on the July 15, 2002 CELDT update from the CDE Standards and Assessment Division. http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/celdt/updates.html<;/

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4.  CAHSEE - INDIVIDUAL STUDENT SCORE REPORTS

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The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has mailed paper copies to districts of the Student and Parent Score Reports for students who took the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) in May of 2002. Two copies of each report were mailed: 1) one copy to be sent home for the parent or guardian, and 2) one copy for the school or district student file. These reports are to be sent home as soon as possible.

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5.  AGGREGATE CAHSEE REPORTS AND CD-ROMS

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At the end of July ETS mailed out paper copies of the May 2002 aggregate reports to each district. CD-ROMs containing detailed student-level information for the May 2002 administration are due to be sent to districts the first week in August. Districts need to check the accuracy of the information contained in these reports and make any corrections using the Online Demographic Data Correction capability. (Visit the http://www.ets.org/cahsee/  and look for the "Demographic Corrections" tab.) For questions regarding reports or CD-ROM’s, please call ETS CAHSEE Customer Service at 1-800-241-5687.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/newstory.cfm?slug=42sat.h21

7.  "TEACHING TO THE TEST"

"Teaching to the Test: The Good, The Bad, and Who’s Responsible" by Nancy Kober (June 2002) is a paper issued by the Center on Education Policy. The author states, "As a general rule, any form of teaching to the test is inappropriate if it raises test scores without also increasing students’ knowledge and skills in the broader subject being tested . . . The real fault for inappropriate forms of ‘teaching to the test’ lies not so much with teachers, but with state and national policymakers. These leaders have created accountability systems centered on higher test scores, with little regard for how these scores are attained." Kober offers recommendations for the actions that policy leaders can take to make an assessment system useful as well as ethical. http://www.ctredpol.org/testing/testtalkjune2002.pdf

8.  ENGAGING HISPANIC/LATINO PARENTS IN SCHOOLS

" A Review of the Literature of Hispanic/Latino Parent Involvement in K-12 Education" (April 3, 2002) by author Barri Tinkler from the University of Denver discusses multiple causes for low achievement among Hispanic youth, barriers to involving their parents, strategies to overcome those barriers, and the importance of collaborative approaches to increase student achievement. http://www.buildassets.org/products/latinoparentreport/latinoparentrept.htm

9.  FREE TEACHER, PARENT, TEEN ALLIANCE TOOLKIT AVAILABLE

The MetLife Foundation is offering a free toolkit designed to assist teachers, especially those in high poverty middle and high schools, to build partnerships with parents. The toolkit offers strategies to help parents communicate and participate in schools, and resources to help parents increase their child’s success in academic classes.  MetLife will send a free copy if ordered online. You may also download each chapter of the document. http://www.recruitingteachers.org/news/2002toolkit.html

10.  YOUTH VOTER CORPS INITIATED

Freedom’s Answer is a "non-profit, non-partisan national campaign to achieve the largest voter turnout over in a non-presidential election year. Starting on September 11, 2002, volunteers will register new voters and get pledges to vote from family, friends, and neighbors and make sure they all turnout to vote." High schools are encouraged to initiate a Youth Voter Corps as a service-learning project. The goal of the Youth Voter Corps is to 1) to register all voters when they turn 18; 2) take part in a Take 10 or Adopt a Block program to help get voter turnout on election day; and 3) serve as poll workers where states allow this activity. The National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Education Association, American Association of School Administrators are among the organizations encouraging this activity. http://www.freedomsanswer.net/home.shtml

11.  TOOLS FOR STARTING A VOLUNTEER OR SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT

Many high schools now require service-learning credits for graduation. Idealist.org is an organization that assists teachers or schools launch a volunteer or service-learning project. There are numerous prompts, policy suggestions, procedures, and examples of projects that will be helpful to the persons or groups beginning to consider an activity of this nature.http://www.idealist.org/kat/volunteercenter.html

12.  COLLEGE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS

The Community Content Bank, a project of the Markel Foundation, offers an online resource especially targeted to low-income families who need more information to assist their child to plan for college.  "College is Possible" offers a step-by-step resource that assists students prepare for and enter college. Information is available in both English and Spanish. There is an audio read-aloud available for the material, and links to other Web sites that offer information on the topic. http://www.contentbank.org/resources/recommendedsites_site.asp?section_id=200&;area_id=2&site_id=1

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13.  LEARNING WITH A PUBLIC PURPOSE

"What Kids Can Do" is a national non-profit organization that "documents the value of young people working with teachers and other adults on projects that combine powerful learning with public purpose for an audience of education and policy makers, journalists, community members, and students."’ This Web site includes feature stories about student projects, articles written by students, and a resource section that links readers to electronic resources and newsletters throughout the United States.  http://www.whatkidscando.org/aboutus.html

14.  GUIDE TO COPYRIGHT LAWS

The National Association of Secondary School Principals has prepared a chart that assists educators in determining if they will or will not violate copyright laws when using print, media, music, and Web site materials. http://www.principals.org/services/legal_chart.htm

15.  LEGAL BRIEF: DRUG TESTING IN SCHOOLS

In light of the recent Supreme Court decision on drug testing in schools, the National Association of Secondary School Principals has produced a legal brief summarizing implications of the decision. http://www.principals.org/services/legal_drugtstngQA.html

16.  WEEDING A BAD SCHOOL CULTURE

"Those who grow health school cultures must root out weeds of bad culture" state Rick DuFour and Becky Burnette, writing in the Journal of Staff  development (Summer 2002). The "weeds" of a bad school culture include unwillingness to accept responsibility for student learning, working in isolation, turf wars, and confusing activity with effectiveness. The authors offer strategies for replacing "weeds" with effective school practices. http://www.nsdc.org/library/jsd/burnette233.html

17.  CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

"Islands of Hope in a Sea of Dreams" by Joellen Killion of the National Staff Development Council delivers a research report on eight schools that received the National Award for Model Professional Development. In highlighting the characteristics of an effective learning environment, the author cites "collegial relationships; supportive leadership; focused, clear goals; support systems; sufficient time for learning and collaboration, shared governance, appropriate rewards and recognition; adequate resources." http://www.wested.org/wested/pubs/online/PDawards/toc.shtml

18.  AASA CENTER FOR BEST PRACTICES

The American Association for School Administrators (AASA) offers best practices for implementing ESEA 2001, also known as No Child Left Behind. The association lists "useful tools, resources, and best practices, as well as articles and organizations" to help educators implement the provisions of the new law. http://www.aasa.org/issues_and_insights/ESEA/ESEA_best_of_web_index.htm

19.  FEDERAL REPORT ON SPECIAL EDUCATION

In 2001, President Bush established a Commission on Excellence in Special Education. The purpose of the study was "to collect information and study issues related to Federal, State, and local special education programs with the goal of recommending policies for improving the education performance of students with disabilities." The report represents the most current overview of special education as well as specific recommendations for reforms. The report has potential to impact future Federal legislation. http://www.ed.gov/inits/commissionsboards/whspecialeducation/reports/pcesefinalreport.pdf

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20.  REPORT ON STATE POLICIES TO IMPROVE THE HIGH SCHOOL

The National Alliance on the American High School has issued a report "All Over the Map: State Policies to Improve the High School" by Monica Martinez and Judy Bray (May 2002). The 40-page report groups the policies into three main categories: 1) those that address high-school-specific issues i.e. credits, graduation requirements, and the GED exam, 2) detailed opportunities to learn (including funding, interventions low performing students, teacher preparation and certification, charter schools, alternative delivery systems, and 3) policies regarding new reform efforts such as standards, assessment tools, and accountability. Along with the policy review, the report notes trends, assumptions, and issues regarding reform efforts. The authors’  recommendations include the need to establish coherent policies within a state that defines "progress in terms of high academic standards and achievement, not seat time." http://www.hsalliance.org/Allfinal.pdf

21.  "SCHOOL GRANTS" OFFERS EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL PROPOSALS

School Grants, an organization dedicated to assisting in the development of educational grants, has placed a number of successful grant applications on its Web site. Readers can review these examples of successful grants, and see design characteristics that resulted in funding. http://www.schoolgrants.org/proposal_samples.htm

22.  GRANT: PG&E ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

PG&E is offering grants from $5,000 to $10,000 for innovative K-12 programs that "encourage and support educating young people about the environment." Teacher training programs are also eligible for the grant. The application deadline is September 30, 2002. http://www.neg.pge.com/grantFAQ.html

23.  GRANT: IBM REINVENTING EDUCATION

"The Reinventing Education Grant Program forms the centerpiece of IBM’s global commitment to education. Through Reinventing Education, IBM is working with school partners throughout the world to develop and implement innovative technology solutions designed to solve some of education’s toughest problems." If funded, IBM contributes more than money to a site. Grantees have access to researchers, educational consultants and technology. The goal of IBM is to search for new ways for technology to support the restructuring of schools that in turn promotes student achievement.  http://www.ibm.com/ibm/ibmgives/grant/education/programs/reinventing/

24.  GRANT: THE CORNING FOUNDATION

"The Corning Incorporated Foundation . . . develops and administers projects in support of educational, cultural, community, and selected national organizations . . . Selected elementary and secondary schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions of higher learning are the consistent beneficiaries of the Corning Foundation support. Corning’s areas of involvement have included community service programs for students, curriculum enrichment, student scholarships, facility improvement, and instructional technology projects for the classroom." Information about procedures for seeking funding from the Corning Incorporated Foundation is available on the Web site.  http://www.corning.com/inside_corning/foundation.asp

25.  GRANT: CALSERVE INITIATIVE PARTNERSHIP RENEWAL GRANT

The California Department of Education has announced the "K-12 Learn and Serve America CalServe Initiative Partnership renewal funding for Cal Serve grantees that received funding in 2001-02 for Developmental Partnerships and Sustainable Partnerships." The application deadline is September 3, 2002. http://www.cde.ca.gov/funding/profile.asp?id=252

26.  GRANT:  LOCAL FLEXIBILITY DEMONSTRATIONS PROGRAM

http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2002-3/071902a.html

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27.  GRANT:  21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY CENTERS LEARNING PROGRAM

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"Applications to become service providers for Title I Supplemental Services are due to the California Department of Education by August 16, 2002. Funding is available only for schools that have been designated as Program Improvement schools in years two and three. Supplemental educational services are defined as tutoring and/or other supplemental academic enrichment activities that are provided beyond the regular school day. The services are to be high quality, research based, and designed to improve the academic achievement of participating students. The State Board of Education must approve all applications." http://www.cde.ca.gov/afterschool/21/title1supplsvcscover.htm

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