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Item(s) found: 244
“Using Data Safely and Effectively to Strengthen Student Performance”
Date CapturedThursday June 26 2014, 10:28 AM
Written Testimony of Thomas C. Murray State and District Digital Learning Director Alliance for Excellent Education Prepared for the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies and House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education June 25, 2014
“Using Data Safely and Effectively to Strengthen Student Performance”
Date CapturedThursday June 26 2014, 10:28 AM
Written Testimony of Thomas C. Murray State and District Digital Learning Director Alliance for Excellent Education Prepared for the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies and House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education June 25, 2014
U.S. Department of Education (USED) Safeguarding Student Privacy 
Date CapturedFriday April 08 2011, 6:38 PM
The use of data is vital to ensuring the best education for our children.  However, the benefits of using  student data must always be balanced with the need to protect students’ privacy rights.  Students and their  parents should expect that their personal information is safe, properly collected and maintained and that it is  used only for appropriate purposes and not improperly redisclosed.  It is imperative to protect students’  privacy to avoid discrimination, identity theft or other malicious and damaging criminal acts.  All education  data holders must act responsibly and be held accountable for safeguarding students’ personally identifiable  information – from practitioners of early learning to those developing systems across the education  continuum (P-20) and from schools to their contractors.  The need for articulated privacy protections and  data security continues to grow as Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) are built and more education  records are digitized and shared electronically.  As States develop and refine their information management  systems, it is critical that they ensure that student information continues to be protected and that students’  personally identifiable information is disclosed only for authorized purposes and under the circumstances  permitted by law.  All P-20 stakeholders should be involved in the development of these statewide systems  and protection policies.    
Growing pains for city pre-K, despite funding
Date CapturedTuesday August 28 2007, 7:28 AM
NY Daily News reports, "'Most of the public schools offer full-day pre-K,' he [Luis Garcia] said. 'It's the [community-based organizations] which aren't funded for full-day, which is hurting our enrollment.'" To make up the shortfall, many community-based programs combine other child-care funds, such as Head Start, to extend the hours to accommodate working parents."
Schools urged to use state aid for pre-k; crime-prevention benefits touted
Date CapturedFriday August 24 2007, 8:27 AM
The Journal News reports, "A study of the Perry Preschool in Michigan, for instance, found that the benefits of preschool last long into adulthood. The data found that children who did not receive high-quality prekindergarten were four times more likely to be arrested for drug felonies in their lifetime and more than twice as likely to become 'career criminals,' with 10 or more arrests by the age of 40."
KLEIN SEES 3 R'S FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS
Date CapturedSunday August 19 2007, 7:50 AM
NY Post reports, "'We should have all of our students start and have rigorous standard-based programs at age 3, age 4, age 5,' he [NYC School chancellor Klein] said. He added that it's especially important in high-poverty areas where private preschool is not necessarily an option. 'We're not there yet, but we made progress,' he said, saying the Department of Education is working on a proposal for preschool for all 4-year-olds. 'We certainly have the direction arrow pointed in the right direction.' Klein also sees a future with kids 'testing out' in 10th grade and either proceeding to two more years of high school and then college, or a vocational school, depending on their grades and ambitions."
Area schools struggling to fill pre-K vacancies
Date CapturedThursday August 16 2007, 7:29 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "Some school districts, including Windsor and Union-Endicott, are having difficulty filling slots for the state-funded Universal Pre-Kindergarten program available to 4-year-olds because most programs don't offer transportation."
Starting crime fight early
Date CapturedWednesday August 15 2007, 7:19 AM
Times Union reports, "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids New York, which includes police, prosecutors and crime survivors, wants districts to tap into $146 million set aside in the state budget for pre-kindergarten programs. The group said high-quality pre-K, for children around age 4, not only prepares the boys and girls for years of schooling, but also deters them becoming criminals. At-risk youth are five times more likely to become chronic lawbreakers when excluded from pre-kindergarten, they also were more than twice as likely to become career criminals -- with 10 arrests or more -- by age 40, statistics cited by Fight Crime show. The data are from a long-term study performed at the Perry Pre-School Program in Michigan."
The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children
Date CapturedThursday August 09 2007, 9:55 AM
Heckman and Masterov write, "We argue that, on productivity grounds, it appears to make sound business sense to invest in young children from disadvantaged environments. Sub- stantial evidence from economics, sociology and public policy studies suggests that children from disadvantaged families are more likely to commit crime, have out-of-wedlock births and drop out of school. Early interventions that partially remedy the effects of adverse early environments can reverse some of the damage done by disadvantaged families and have a high economic return relative to other policies. They will benefit not only the children themselves, but also their own children as well as society at large. While more rigorous analysis is necessary to obtain a better understanding of the effects of such programs, their precise channels of influence, and their precise benefits and costs, the existing evidence is promising." James J. Heckman is the Henry B. Schultz Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Economics, University of Chicago. Dimitriy V. Masterov is a graduate student in the Department of Economics, University of Michigan.
Checking on child care is duty of providers, the state, parents
Date CapturedThursday August 02 2007, 9:30 AM
Rochester and Democrat Chronicle Op-ed contributor Barbara-Ann Mattle, CEO of Child Care Council Inc. opines, "Parents have the responsibility to perform due diligence in selecting care for their children. This process can include a call to a child care consultant at the Child Care Council. Parents may also do an online search of the Council's Web site. Parents then should visit programs to determine their own and their child's comfort level. The New York State Office of Children and Family Services maintains a Web site that contains information on all complaints (resolved and unresolved) for any licensed or registered child care provider or program. This data base is available to parents as an additional research tool at www.ocfs.state.ny.us. Parents are the most consistent monitors of the child care system. They may visit their children at any time throughout the day. New York state regulations emphasize this 'open door policy.' The state Bureau of Early Childhood Services also continues to monitor the effectiveness of the regulatory system and to make adjustments that reflect the changing environment of care."
Community boost sought by child care coalition
Date CapturedFriday July 27 2007, 8:24 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "Research shows that investing money in early childhood education and health saves money later in areas such as remedial education, coalition coordinator Barbara Nilsen said, adding some studies have shown a 7-to-1 payback ratio."
Ithaca City School District faculty member appointed to task force on preschool special education
Date CapturedThursday July 26 2007, 1:02 PM
Ithaca Journal reports, "The task force, which is comprised of 13 education professionals from across the state, was created to study ways of improving early education for children with disabilities. The group will examine the transition between early childhood programs and elementary school, the cost of preschool special education programs and the task force will do a comparative study of different state's special education preschool programs. Jasinski said he is excited to be part of the task force."
Pre-K programs growing throughout Tier
Date CapturedTuesday July 17 2007, 9:16 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "New York began its Universal Pre-Kindergarten program in 1997. But, in the 2002-03 school year, fewer than 250 of the state's 700 districts administered pre-kindergarten programs, according to the National Child Care Information Center. And grants had been frozen since 2001, meaning districts could not get into the program, said Cindy Gallagher, coordinator of the Office of Early Education and Reading Initiatives for the state Education Department. By contrast, this year's state budget boosted spending for Universal Pre-Kindergarten by $145.9 million to $438 million. The additional money means 44,000 slots were added to the 73,000 slots available in the last school term, state figures indicate. The state has about 240,000 4-year-olds, Gallagher said."
Fixing special ed
Date CapturedMonday July 16 2007, 10:18 AM
Buffalo News opines, "He [Buffalo school superintendent Williams] intends to establish teams of guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, special-education teachers and parents at each school. He also intends to relocate specialeducation support staff from administrative offices to individual schools, continue intensive efforts to improve literacy in the early elementary grades and give special-education students greater choice of schools."
State aid could shrink classes, lengthen school day
Date CapturedMonday July 16 2007, 6:29 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "The contracts apply to 55 districts that have at least one school on the federal 'In Need of Improvement' list. These districts also received a $15 million increase or a 10 percent or more increase in state aid. In the contract, the district must show how it will use most of the additional state aid to implement programs and initiatives to address the lower-performing students identified by federal standards. The initiatives include reducing class size, increasing the length of the school day, professional development for teachers and principals, restructuring middle and high schools and implementing full-day kindergarten or pre-kindergarten or experimental programs."
Schools Diversity Based on Income Segregates Some
Date CapturedSunday July 15 2007, 8:53 AM
NY Times reports, "San Francisco began considering factors like family income, instead of race, in school assignments when it modified a court-ordered desegregation plan in response to a lawsuit. But school officials have found that the 55,000-student city school district, with Chinese the dominant ethnic group followed by Hispanics, blacks and whites, is resegregrating."
Pre-K for city kids 'a must'
Date CapturedThursday July 12 2007, 8:22 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Transportation and the lack of day care for older children are the most frequent reasons parents don't enroll their children in pre-K, Cala [Rochester District Superintendent] said."
M-E district set to offer pre-K classes in September
Date CapturedTuesday July 03 2007, 8:27 AM
Press & Sun-Bulletin reports, "The Maine-Endwell Central School District, using a $140,616 state grant, is planning to offer the first pre-kindergarten program in its history, beginning in September."
Priorities set, chairs named for Children’s Cabinet
Date CapturedMonday June 25 2007, 7:59 AM
Legislative Gazette reports, "The governor has named the leaders of his new Children’s Cabinet and announced that health care for New York’s uninsured children and higher quality pre-kindergarten would be the panel’s top priorities. In an executive order issued earlier this month, Gov. Eliot Spitzer established the Children’s Cabinet and announced its ultimate goal would be the reform of children’s programs in the state."
Most Rockland districts opt for universal pre-k next year
Date CapturedMonday June 18 2007, 9:14 AM
The Journal News reports, "Like Pataki, Gov. Eliot Spitzer has promised increased funds over the next four years until all of New York's 4-year-olds can be part of the program. There are some changes from the original version, however. For the first time, school districts can send a child to a program outside their district, giving parents and districts a wider range of options. Two other pre-kindergarten programs, including the decades-old Experimental (now Targeted) preschool program, have been rolled into Universal pre-K and will share in the same money pool. And instead of a set amount for each participating district, regardless of economic need or location, the state created a sliding scale. School districts can receive anywhere from $2,000 to $5,700 per child. So what's the downside that has some schools refusing the money? It doesn't begin to cover the real costs of child care, which Brown said ran to about $11,000 a year for an infant and $10,500 a year for a pre-schooler in Rockland."
Governor Convenes Children's Cabinet
Date CapturedSaturday June 16 2007, 8:57 AM
WXXI reports, "A new state panel is called the Children's Cabinet - but it doesn't feature any kids. Rather, it's a task force composed of representative from the gamut of state departments, convened by Governor Eliot Spitzer. They're charged with making policy recommendations about services for kids, and giving input on future state budgets."
The Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study (APPLES)
Date CapturedFriday June 15 2007, 7:50 PM
by Ellen Frede, Kwanghee Jung, W. Steven Barnett, Cynthia Esposito Lamy, and Alexandra Figueras. "This report discusses the results of a rigorous study of New Jersey's Abbott Preschool Program. The study seeks to determine if the learning gains from the state prekindergarten program found in earlier research at kindergarten entry continued throughout the kindergarten year and assess the quality of Abbott classrooms. Findings form this study: classroom quality in the Abbott Preschool Program continues to improve; children who attend the program, regardless of setting, improve in language, literacy and math skills through the end of their kindergarten year; and children who attend the preschool education program for two years significantly outperform those who attend for only one year or do not attend at all."
New Study Finds Gains Since No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedWednesday June 06 2007, 10:27 AM
NY Times SAM DILLON reports, "In the decade before the law was passed, many states had adopted policies aimed at raising achievement, like broadening access to early childhood programs, that could also be responsible for gains. The study also acknowledged that the increases in achievement recorded by many state tests had not been matched by results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, nationwide reading and math tests administered by the federal Department of Education."
Experts: Let your kids play
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 7:30 PM
Newsday MICHAEL AMON reports, "Child care is a $612 million industry on Long Island, speakers said, but pre-kindergarten programs often put too much emphasis on conventional academic lessons and too little on good-old-fashioned fun. Citing studies that show young children are overscheduled and overstressed, Friedman [director of Early Care and Education Long Island] and others said children under 5 need time to play in the dirt and run aimlessly in the park, not math and reading lessons."
SCAA Reports: Winter 2007
Date CapturedTuesday May 22 2007, 10:53 AM
This issue of SCAA Reports spotlights some of the key areas urgently needing attention in order to assure the success of more children, and identifies several strategies for strengthening early child development: by significantly investing in early programming through home visiting, welcome baby contact, quality child care and early education. Research has shown that these investments have the longest-lasting and greatest return.
FRIEDEN'S NEW FOUL
Date CapturedMonday April 30 2007, 7:45 AM
NY Post op-ed contributor David Yassky, north Brooklyn representative, New York City Council opines, "The rules would cost parochial schools millions of dollars, quite possibly forcing some of them to shut down. Most important, these new rules would cross the line that should separate church and state. Of course, we do want the Health Department to protect children against dangers like lead exposure. But existing rules already do that. Now the Health Department wants to impose much more comprehensive regulations on parochial preschool facilities - mandating a certain number of square feet per child, a certain number of toilets per child and so forth."
New & Notes
Date CapturedMonday April 23 2007, 10:20 AM
From the desk of Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education - P-16, April 20, 2007.
Our Children’s Agenda
Date CapturedFriday April 20 2007, 3:22 PM
New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, "If our children’s agenda is to succeed – if we are truly to achieve equal opportunity for every child in New York – we will need your help. We will need the help of parents, teachers, neighbors, communities of faith, and non-profit organizations. Because achieving equal opportunity is just half the battle. We still need to ensure that our children make the most of it."
Eight for 2008: Education Ideas for the Next President
Date CapturedTuesday April 17 2007, 6:51 PM
Education Sector is offering the following eight education ideas for the 2008 presidential campaign -- Unlock the Pre-K Door , Offer Teachers a New Deal , Create a National Corps of 'SuperPrincipals', Open New Schools in Low-Income Neighborhoods, Launch Learning into the 21st Century, Reward Hard-Working Immigrant Students, Give Students a Roadmap to Good Colleges, Help Students Help Others.
Connecticut's New Education Commissioner Faces a Long To-Do List
Date CapturedSunday April 15 2007, 9:42 AM
NY Times reports, "Mr. McQuillan, who is to begin his job on Monday as the state’s commissioner of education, said Connecticut has been a leader in education reform and has a unique governing structure that fosters teamwork among local school boards, the State Department of Education, legislators and educational advocates."
Not all schools benefit from state budget's boost to pre-k
Date CapturedTuesday April 10 2007, 9:47 AM
THE JOURNAL NEWS reports, "In districts that already offer pre-K, some educators say they are pleasantly surprised and want to use the money to enroll as many children as possible come September. Others worry that if they expand, they'll be left paying for expensive programs themselves if the aid dries up. And in districts that do not offer pre-K - and will not be offering it soon -- educators are wondering where their share of the money will end up going, because the funds cannot be used for anything else. 'I thought, "OK, we're not using the money. What's going to happen to it?" ' said Haldane Schools Superintendent John Di Natale. It turns out the money that has been allocated to districts without pre-K programs will go into the state's general fund."
Inside Education: Universal pre-school's new funding a tease?
Date CapturedMonday April 09 2007, 9:27 AM
Journal News reports, "Like the 1997 proposal, the money could be here this year and, once programs are established, disappear, leaving the district the unhappy task of either eliminating a popular program or asking taxpayers to pick up the slack."
A finding about aggressive behavior gets headlines, but positive aspects can't be ignored
Date CapturedSunday April 01 2007, 10:14 AM
Newsday Op-Ed contributor Caryl Rivers, professor of journalism at Boston University opines, "With some 70 percent of women in the workforce, with more than half of all mothers of toddlers at work, and with men's wages flat or declining, it's a myth to think that most women will - or can - leave their jobs with the birth of a child. Unlike most European countries, the United States lags far behind in paying good salaries and requiring specialized training for day care workers. Staff burnout and turnover are major problems. We need to constantly fight for better-quality care and more funding for early childhood education. Some ideologues may argue that the only good mother is a stay-at-home mother, but that's not what research tells us. With more than 2 million kids in day care in this country, it's good that we are keeping a watchful eye on what is happening to these kids. But demonizing day care, and exaggerating its harm to children, does no service to parents."
Is Day Care Truly Bad for Kids?
Date CapturedSaturday March 31 2007, 9:33 AM
NPR reports, "News headlines recently referred to researching findings revealing day care's ill effects on children. But a conversation with the researcher reveals that the study's findings may have been misrepresented in the media. Slate's Emily Bazelon talks with Madeleine Brand."
Self-regulation abilities, beyond intelligence, play major role in early achievement
Date CapturedMonday March 26 2007, 9:45 AM
Eurekalert.org reports, "Although intelligence is generally thought to play a key role in children's early academic achievement, aspects of children's self-regulation abilities—including the ability to alternately shift and focus attention and to inhibit impulsive responding--are uniquely related to early academic success and account for greater variation in early academic progress than do measures of intelligence. Therefore, in order to help children from low-income families succeed in school, early school-age programs may need to include curricula designed specifically to promote children's self-regulation skills as a means of enhancing their early academic progress. Those are the findings of a new study conducted by researchers at the Pennsylvania State University and published in the March-April 2007 issue of the journal Child Development."
AUDIT CHOPS 'WASTEFUL' PRE-K $$$
Date CapturedThursday March 22 2007, 8:44 AM
NY Post David Andreatta reports, "City Comptroller Bill Thompson claimed to uncover $785,000 in questionable spending and overpayments at 10 city-funded full-day pre-K sites at nonpublic schools, between July 2003 and June 2005."
Wasted cash cost city tots class - audit
Date CapturedThursday March 22 2007, 8:33 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Among allegations are unexplained checks, cash withdrawals listed as loan repayments and school directors paying themselves rent for space in buildings they own. Other allegations include centers appearing to use prekindergarten funds for things like karate uniforms, even though karate is not an approved activity for kids that age."
Timing and Duration of Student Participation in Special Education in the Primary Grades
Date CapturedWednesday March 21 2007, 9:19 PM
Emily W. Holt, Daniel J. McGrath, and William L. Herring. This Issue Brief reports the timing of entry into special education and the number of grades in which students receive special education across the primary grades. About 12 percent of students receive special education in at least one of the grades: kindergarten, first, and third grade, including 16 percent of boys, 8 percent of girls, 18 percent of poor children, and 10 percent of nonpoor children. One in three students who receive special education in early grades, first receive special education in kindergarten. Half of those who begin special education in kindergarten are no longer receiving special education by third grade. In addition to students’ gender and poverty status, results are presented separately for other student and school characteristics, including race/ethnicity and school control, urbanicity, region, and poverty concentration. Data for this brief come from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K).
Preschoolers' Test May Be Suspended
Date CapturedSunday March 18 2007, 9:45 AM
Washington Post reports, "Critics question whether the test accurately measures how much a child learns and cite a 2005 report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, that raised concerns about the way the test has been implemented. This spring, the test is scheduled to be administered to 410,000 4- and 5-year-olds unless Congress moves to end it. On Wednesday, the House Education and Labor Committee voted to end the test in a vote on the reauthorization of Head Start, a preschool program started in the mid-1960s to improve the lives of at-risk children and their families. The full House is expected to vote on the measure as soon as this week."
Egan's Eliot edict
Date CapturedWednesday March 14 2007, 8:29 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Despite Egan's support, Spitzer's tax credit plan is opposed by Assembly Democrats, who get campaign donations from teachers unions. The New York State United Teachers launched a $125,000 advertising campaign against the tax credits, saying the state must instead make public schools the priority. A spokesman for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said the Assembly will reject Spitzer's tax credit plan because 'we thought that all families with children deserve a break,' not just those who can afford to send their kids to tuition-charging schools. Silver wants to allow more families to benefit from the Empire State Child Tax Credit - a $330 annual tax credit for parents with children ages 4 to 17. Under Silver's plan, the credit would be expanded to parents with kids younger than 4. 'More children would be covered,' said Silver spokesman Charles Carrier. 'Our budget responds to the needs of all young families with children, which we think is important.'"
PRE-K COMPETITION GETS IN-TENTS
Date CapturedMonday March 12 2007, 7:58 AM
NY Post reports, "A group of Brooklyn parents camped out overnight in an elementary-school playground to snag places for their kids in a pre-K program. 'It's the Board of Ed that's causing this,' said angry mom Amy Giagrande, who was the first in line at PS 236 in Mill Basin. 'We pay enough in taxes. They need to spend it for our children.'"
The Economic Promise of Investing in High-Quality Preschool: Using Early Education to Improve Economic Growth and the Fiscal Sustainability of States and the Nation (2006)
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 1:50 PM
The Economic Promise of Investing in High-Quality Preschool: Using Early Education to Improve Economic Growth and the Fiscal Sustainability of States and the Nation, Committee for Economic Development. Selected recommendations: "CED recommends that communities, states, and the nation make access to publicly funded, highquality preschool programs an economic and educational priority. The economic benefits from preschool will be greatest when all children are provided with access to high-quality, publicly funded preschool programs. States with existing preschool programs should expand access by eliminating enrollment restrictions based on family income, and maximize program efficiency by coordinating state prekindergarten, federal Head Start, and child-care programs. To achieve the potential economic benefits, preschool programs should provide adequate contact hours to improve student learning and provide options for integrating high-quality child care to meet the needs of working parents. Furthermore, states should welcome a diverse set of providers that meet quality standards and the needs of the parents and communities they serve. Business leaders should advocate preschool and other complementary childhood programs and services, emphasizing the strong returns on investment, and the leveraging of current expenditures. CED recommends that publicly funded preschool programs meet the quality standards necessary to deliver the promised economic benefits."
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids New York
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 8:00 AM
Established in 1999, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids New York is a statewide, bi-partisan, non-profit anti-crime organization of more than 300 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, other law enforcement leaders and violence survivors. We are part of the more than 3,000 member national organization, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Saving kids
Date CapturedSaturday March 10 2007, 7:54 AM
Times Union opines, "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids has found four approaches to early intervention that work well. One is a nurse-family partnership that provides in-home parent coaching. The goal is to begin during pregnancy and continue until the child's second birthday. A study involving mothers who signed up for a partnership program had 61 percent fewer arrests than those who did not participate. There were 59 percent fewer arrests of children whose parents were enrolled in the program, compared with kids whose parents did not participate. Fight Crime: Invest in Kids' other goals include universal access to pre-kindergarten; access to after school youth development activities, and early intervention with troubled teens."
Study: Westchester child-care not up to parents' needs
Date CapturedTuesday March 06 2007, 7:43 AM
Journal News reports, "Parents told the consultants that the high cost of care, combined with a market that did not provide what they were seeking, caused them to opt out of regulated-care settings. Wealthy parents, on the whole, turn instead to nannies or other family members, while middle- and lower-income families rely primarily on family members, including grandparents, to fill the gap. Families earning up to 275 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for the county-administered subsidies. But for lower-income families who might qualify for aid, the cost of required co-pays remains challenging if not prohibitive; those who earn just a little too much to qualify for assistance are pinched even worse."
Deal on day care in offing?
Date CapturedSaturday March 03 2007, 8:55 AM
Times Union reports, "The order would help add tens of thousands of members to the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, NYSUT's biggest local, and the Civil Service Employees Association, the largest state workers union."
Changes urged for school aid plan: Spitzer's proposed funding boost welcomed, but many advocates say more money will be needed
Date CapturedWednesday February 28 2007, 7:00 AM
Times Union reports, "There are other differences in how Spitzer is approaching education spending, most notably through his proposals that place strings on how the additional money is spent. A recent amendment to the governor's budget, for instance, helps ensure that struggling school systems won't simply use the extra money to lower taxes. Instead, districts that get significant increases must spend the money on measures like smaller class sizes and full day pre-K programs. Spitzer also has proposed that school superintendents could be fired if their district turns in four years of poor performance. School board members could be removed after six years."
In New Jersey, Districts Find Aid Increases Insufficient
Date CapturedTuesday February 27 2007, 9:13 AM
NY Times Winnie Hu reports, "Nearly half of the increased state aid that Gov. Jon S. Corzine promised for schools in his budget proposal last week will be eaten up by teachers’ benefits and school construction, and much of the remaining $300 million is earmarked for literacy and early childhood programs, education officials in New Jersey said yesterday."
US Sen. Ted Kennedy visit focuses on 'No Child' program
Date CapturedWednesday February 21 2007, 8:38 PM
Cape Cod Times reports, "In addition to addressing the No Child Left Behind reauthorization, he spoke with Times editors about the proposed Head Start for School Readiness Act. According to Kennedy, fewer than 50 percent of children eligible for Head Start participate because their families do not have access to Head Start programs. The legislation would raise Head Start funding from $6.9 billion to $7.3 billion in the next fiscal year, to $7.5 billion in fiscal year 2009 and $7.9 billion in 2010."
New Jersey bill removes all mercury products from facilities
Date CapturedMonday January 15 2007, 9:19 AM
Gloucester County Times reports, "Six months before the Kiddie Kollege day care center in Franklin Township was shut down due to mercury contamination, a county environmental group proposed legislation that would have reduced and possibly eliminated mercury in educational facilities statewide."
A promising education
Date CapturedSunday January 14 2007, 9:03 AM
Times Union contributor Frederick J. Frelow, director of the Early College Initiative at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in Princeton, N.J. writes, "The next chapter on civil rights in New York will begin in the state's public schools. Indeed, the future of an entire generation of Americans is in the hands of our state leaders right now. They can create national models for education finance, leading the way for 49 other states to meet King's challenges and make good on the Founders' promise. This investment will not only yield a better prepared work force, but make New York's young people ready for true citizenship."
Schools need real support, not politics
Date CapturedFriday January 12 2007, 6:02 AM
Times Herald-Record opines, "Also on the Spitzer agenda are a longer school day, a longer school year, more after-school programs and a commission on public higher education. That's an ambitious list in any year. In one with intense pressure to reduce property taxes and tame the Albany monster, it could stand as not only the biggest test the new governor will have to face but also the most important."
THE STATE BUDGET: CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL K-12 EDUCATION
Date CapturedThursday January 11 2007, 8:23 AM
San Francisco Chronicle reports, "The governor wants to spend $36.8 billion from the general fund for K-12 education, up from $36.6 billion. For classroom spending, that translates to $8,569 per pupil, up from $8,293. The state would save $283.6 million under the proposal because enrollment in the 5.9 million-pupil system is expected to drop slightly, by about 23,000 students. The total includes $1.9 billion (a 4 percent increase) that districts can use to cover the higher costs of running schools."
States Paying New Attention to Children
Date CapturedMonday January 08 2007, 3:16 PM
AP ROBERT TANNER reports, "Demands for more emphasis on education, already one of the biggest chunks of state budgets, are getting louder. Courts in Arkansas, Illinois, New Jersey and many other states have ordered legislators to craft more equitable funding systems. And parents and educators are pushing for greater early education, including kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes."
Grading Spitzer's new school ideas
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 7:47 AM
Times Herald-Record reports, "It's time for a new start for schools and students, Gov. Eliot Spitzer said last week. The changes include: More money — but more accountability and better results come with the bucks. Proven programs — smaller class sizes, a longer school day and longer school year, more after-school programs and improved teacher quality, especially in the neediest schools. Pre-kindergarten programs for all 4-year-olds in the state. More charter schools. A Commission on Public Higher Education to recommend improvements in the higher ed system. Here is some reaction:"
‘Good Start’ For Everyone
Date CapturedSunday January 07 2007, 7:38 AM
Post-Journal (Jamestown) reports, "The state Board of Regents and the state Education Department recently approved what it calls a ‘P-16 Plan’ to bring a coherent set of goals and standards for education from pre-kindergarten through the end of a students’ college years. According to the Board of Regents, the plan includes providing every child with a ‘good start,’ preparing pupils to be able to read by the second grade and graduating individuals ready to enter the ‘workforce, higher education and citizenship.'’’
California child care rating system needed
Date CapturedFriday January 05 2007, 9:57 AM
San Francisco Chronicle reports, "California licenses about 58,000 child care facilities serving 1.2 million children, but little information is readily available to parents about their safety and quality of care. To fix the problem, California should adopt a uniform ratings system, the state Legislative Analyst's Office urged in a report released Thursday." Approximately 13 states have detailed ratings systems while 30 others have partial ratings systems.
News from The School Administrators Association of New York State: State of State Offers Educational Opportunities
Date CapturedThursday January 04 2007, 7:36 AM
The School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) applauds Governor Elliot Spitzer's commitment to increase funding and opportunities for all of New York's schools as outlined in today's State of the State message. SAANYS supports the governor's efforts to provide universal pre-kindergarten, smaller class sizes, after school programs, and increases in school funding. SAANYS also supports Spitzer's recognition for strong school accountability measures. SAANYS does not support raising the charter school cap, as the charter school experiment has yet to produce the positive results necessary to validate such an expansion. SAANYS is encouraged by the recognition of the need for transitional aid for districts of existing charter schools.
The state of public education: a state-by-state comparison
Date CapturedThursday January 04 2007, 5:56 AM
The Journal News reports on survey produced by the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center and The Pew Center on the States, "New York does better than the national average in terms of elementary and middle school test scores, but has a lower percentage of students who graduate from high school. And while underperforming some states, New York does better than the average on the success index. The state scores higher than the national average on 9 of the 13 success indicators, including family income, percentage of children who have a parent with a college degree, preschool enrollment and college enrollment."
Spitzer promises no taxes, more ‘investment’
Date CapturedWednesday January 03 2007, 2:55 PM
AP reports, "Most of Spitzer's address underscored his campaign promises, including a $6 billion property tax cut over three years and billions of dollars more for schools. Wednesday's proposals include: --Longer school days and school years, after-school programs and better teachers as well as greater accountability for school spending. 'There will be no more excuses for failure,' Spitzer said. 'The debate will no longer be about money, but about performance; the goal will no longer be adequacy, but excellence; the timetable will no longer be tomorrow, but today.'"
Study puts New Jersey education system 4th in nation
Date CapturedWednesday January 03 2007, 2:18 PM
AP reports, "While New Jersey has extremes of wealth and poverty, it has the highest median household income. And its adults, on average, are well educated. More than half the state's children have at least one parent with a college degree and three-fourths of children have at least one parent working a full-time, year-round job. Those factors all give children a better chance of succeeding in college or the work force, the study said. Also, the state did well in the assessment because it has a number of policies to line up preschool and elementary school standards and help students pursue trade industry licenses while still in high school. New Jersey ranked only 45th, though, in a measure of statewide policies dealing with academic standards, testing policies and how schools are held accountable for their performances."
Narrow the achievement gap in education
Date CapturedSunday December 31 2006, 7:52 AM
Boston Globe reports, "The road to closing that gap is outlined in a report called 'Fulfilling the Promise of Education Reform, ' the union's [Massachusetts Teachers Association] action guide for the coming year. The organization will push for legislation and funding for more early childhood programs, full-day kindergarten for all, as well as reduced class sizes."
Hudson Valley Community College plans course at apartments
Date CapturedWednesday December 27 2006, 5:08 AM
Times Union reports, "The course will explore human development from conception through the school years. All aspects of a child's growth and development are discussed in a practical fashion. The needs of infants and children at each age and stage are related to their day-to-day care and educational programs."
Act early
Date CapturedSunday December 24 2006, 9:06 AM
Times Union contributor Karen Schimke, President/CEO of Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy in Albany and a co-convener of the Winning Beginning NY coalition writes, "Making access to early care and education a public responsibility allows children of all economic classes to share in the well-documented developmental benefits of such care. This, in turn, helps reduce future achievement inequalities between more- and less-advantaged children. This may cost us taxpayers more today, but we'll reap handsome rewards in the future."
Big ideas for schools
Date CapturedSaturday December 23 2006, 9:53 AM
Dallas Morning News opines on "Tough Choices, Tough Times", " For instance, the suggestion to start children in school at age 3 could help big-city teachers, such as those in Dallas, get students learning at grade level by early elementary years. It's also worth discussing the proposal to create personal savings accounts modeled on the GI bill. The feds would kick in $500 when a child is born and lesser amounts until a child reaches 16. Individuals and employers alike could contribute so workers could use the accounts to get the continual training they will need to stay abreast of a fast-changing economy. The costs need fleshing out, but Congress should hear more about this proposal."
Freshmen academies help boost achievement for young students
Date CapturedWednesday December 20 2006, 6:08 AM
Journal News reports, "The academies, where ninth-graders take classes in separate buildings away from older students, are part of a movement centered around smaller learning communities. Ultimately, the programs aim to boost graduation rates by helping students master the core curriculum of math, science, English and social studies early, while providing coping skills and fostering greater teacher-student interaction."
Washington state Gov. Gregoire's $30 billion budget invests heavily in education
Date CapturedTuesday December 19 2006, 4:48 PM
AP reports, "The $29.94 billion two-year spending plan dips liberally into the state's $1.9 billion budget reserve to spend on public schools and colleges, health care, Puget Sound cleanup, economic development, prisons, parks, pensions, salary increases and other programs. Free full-day kindergarten is proposed for 10 percent of the schools and early learning proposals would be expanded, at a cost of $42 million. A dropout academy is created. "
Literacy initiative extends to babies
Date CapturedMonday December 18 2006, 8:02 AM
Florida Times-Union reports, "Reading to infants is important in part because it teaches the child how to hold a book, flip the pages and identify colors, shapes and other objects, said Linda Lanier, who heads the Jacksonville Children's Commission. Plus, it gives babies the chance to spend special time with their parents, other adults or siblings. 'Children are learning even if they're not learning their ABCs,' Lanier said. The carry-all contains a bib, burp cloth, two board books, a cup, a soft toy in the shape of a key and a CD of children's songs. There's also a magnet with important numbers and parents' 'to-do' list and a short resource guide."
Schools in hands of private business?
Date CapturedSaturday December 16 2006, 8:59 AM
The Saratogian reports, "The 170-page commission report calls for paying teachers about $100,000 a year. Saratoga Springs City School District Superintendent John E. MacFadden, who had read the report, saw some validity in that. 'I think the operative thing there is 'year-round,' ' MacFadden said. 'If the theme here is that we are falling behind in a competitive race educationally, than we need to have a longer school year and I do think they're on to something. Achievements increase over a longer period of time. A two-month shut down (in school) is like a two-month shutdown mentally. It's not good preparation for the working world and colleges are guilty of this as well,' he said."
Expert Panel Proposes Far-Reaching Redesign of the American Education System
Date CapturedFriday December 15 2006, 3:30 AM
NY Times David M. HERSZENHORN reports, "The commission’s work was quickly hailed by some as a potentially groundbreaking document. 'This report has the potential to change the debate on education at the national level,' said Jack Jennings, the president of the Center on Education Policy, who is a Democrat and prominent expert on the federal education law. The national teachers’ unions were apprehensive. Antonia Cortese, executive vice president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the proposals included 'some seriously flawed ideas with faddish allure that won’t produce better academic results.' Reg Weaver, the president of the National Education Association, urged 'caution in calling for drastic changes.'”
Spitzer’s school plan will benefit all
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 10:15 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal contributor Billy Easton, executive director of Alliance for Quality Education writes, "Throughout his campaign, Spitzer consistently articulated an education plan based on proven strategies. The elements of his plan will get many more children prepared to succeed as adults. He starts with pre-kindergarten, which increases graduation rates and employment success and reduces crime. He supports smaller classes, which show long-term increases in test scores, graduation rates and college preparedness. Training and recruiting skilled teachers is another Spitzer education priority that is backed by extensive research. He supports producing strong principals to lead our schools. And he advocates helping kids who are falling through the cracks by partnering with community-based organizations (such as after-school programs), expanding literacy programs and improving vocational education. This is a refreshing vision designed to actually address the needs of every child. It is not difficult to imagine it cannot all be done on the cheap. What is the price tag Spitzer has identified to pay for all of this? $8.5 billion. This is for a multiyear statewide solution, not a New York City focused plan."
Massachusetts education group fields concerns
Date CapturedWednesday December 13 2006, 9:43 AM
The Republican reports, "Calls for a statewide prekindergarten program, to eliminate spending caps for charter schools, increase support of private-public education collaboratives and reinstate education budget cuts were among suggestions raised at a [Massachusetts] gubernatorial transition team meeting yesterday."
Advocates call for Early Learning Commission
Date CapturedTuesday December 12 2006, 10:07 AM
A coalition of early care and education advocates is calling on Governor-elect Spitzer to form an Early Learning Commission overseeing New York State’s early childhood programs and services. Winning Beginning NY, the state’s leading early care and learning advocacy coalition, cites the need for coordination and oversight of the state’s programs as a key rationale for the Commission. “The commission is needed to galvanize support for expanded and coherent investment in high quality early childhood services for New York State,” said Karen Schimke, a Winning Beginning NY Co-Convener and President/CEO of the Schuyler Center for Analysis & Advocacy. The state has made progress in recent years toward developing early learning services for New York’s youth, said Schimke, adding, “Launching an Early Learning Commission is the key next step to ensuring both that we make the most of every dollar invested."
University of the State of New York, P-16 Education: A Plan For Action
Date CapturedMonday December 11 2006, 1:53 PM
We will confront the data, share it broadly, and use it to define as precisely as possible where resources and energy should be applied. We will recognize the achievements and also declare the problems as clearly as we can. We will engage everyone by listening to the people the education system is supposed to serve, to parents, to educators at every level, to the employers, and to the elected officials who must weigh enormous competing demands for scarce resources. In particular, we will engage students and their parents, and the wider community because educational institutions do not belong to the educators but to the people. We will create a communications plan to listen to, inform, and involve people statewide. We will define measurable objectives so that others can hold us accountable, and we can hold education leaders accountable for improving results. We will study the practices of high performing education systems, states and nations, and adapt the best to New York’s situation. We will examine what actions are most effective, and invite others to learn with us. We will take action focused on systematic change to effect sustained improvement. We know, for example, that closing the achievement gap for students requires correcting the unequal distribution of teaching talent. And we know that in demanding change in educational institutions to achieve better results, we must also build capacity in our own State Education Department to take on its part of this improvement strategy. We will continually renew the alignment of our actions to ensure coherence and effectiveness. For example, academic standards, curriculum, assessment, and instructional practice have to be aligned to be effective. When one element changes, all other elements must be examined to ensure that the system remains effective. We will strengthen USNY, because it has great potential to build more effective transitions for students from one level of the system to the next. We will advocate for State and federal financial resources and legislative actions that will help achieve better educational outcomes. And we will be accountable for the effective use of those resources.
How Do You Spend $1.93 Billion?
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 8:42 AM
NY Times Op-Ed contributor Harold O. Levy, New York City schools chancellor from 2000 until 2002 opines, "Having been a witness for the plaintiffs in the case, I can now say that however much money we ultimately get, the critical question is how we spend it."
Babies get moved into tough apartments
Date CapturedSunday December 10 2006, 8:33 AM
NY Daily News reports, "But Hale House officials defended their decision to move the children out of the charity's brownstone. They said they wanted to keep the children closer to the new Mother Clara Hale Learning Center, a state-of-the-art preschool in the basement of one of the buildings where four of them go to school."
Connecticut Report: Add new preschool seats, bolster teaching skills
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 4:42 PM
AP reports, "The report advises better outreach to poor families without access to good early childhood education programs, and to others that might not understand the value of preschool. It also calls for more equitable funding for programs that currently receive state reimbursement, more support for school readiness councils in local communities, and better tracking of how children perform during and after preschool to ensure that programs are effective."
Immigrant teens pose challenge for schools
Date CapturedWednesday December 06 2006, 8:10 AM
NorthJersey.com reports, "Young immigrant students in North Jersey and elsewhere are catching up with their English-speaking peers within a few years. But those who arrive here during their middle- and high-school years are failing at alarming rates, educators and state officials say. The performance gap -- in part a result of a dearth of programs and qualified teachers for adolescents -- could carry consequences for the region, experts say."
Early action on early education
Date CapturedTuesday December 05 2006, 6:46 AM
Boston Globe opines, "Menino [Boston mayor] has a big vision: not just a program or two, but a citywide culture of excellence, an early-education artery that runs through maternity wards, pediatricians' offices, grocery stores, and neighborhoods. Narrowing the achievement gap that leaves many poor and minority students struggling to keep up is one goal. But Menino wants to go farther, to meet the needs of the whole family. So, for example, just as parents live in a given school district, very new parents might live in a certain early-education district, and that could mean access to any number of services, from home visits to parenting classes. Medical, dental, and mental-health care would be readily available. Prevention would be key, especially of well-known problems such as maternal isolation and depression."
Tennessee Gov. Bredesen focuses on education for legacy
Date CapturedFriday December 01 2006, 8:02 AM
The City Paper reports, "While additional funding for urban school systems has been discussed for years, Bredesen is backing two new education initiatives to help high school students graduate. The governor wants to add truancy officers in all of the state’s 400 public high schools to improve attendance and, hopefully, result in more high school students graduating." Gov. Bredesen may devote about $25 million more to continue to expand pre-K in the state’s next budget.
Washington Assessment of Student Learning achievement gap costly to fix, officials say
Date CapturedThursday November 30 2006, 1:34 PM
Seattle Times reports, "The Washington Assessment of Student Learning serves as "a messenger" that students of color continue to lag behind white students and some Asian students, and the so-called academic achievement gap still exists, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson said Wednesday."
Group challenges No Child Left Behind
Date CapturedTuesday November 28 2006, 7:33 AM
The Journal News reports, "No Child Left Behind is up for reauthorization in the coming year. The collaborative's report devotes more than six pages to recommendations on how to improve the law. Chief among them is funding changes: the group is calling on the federal government to fully fund NCLB mandates, to earmark funds for after-school programs for low-performing schools, and to reimburse school districts for the costs of scoring exams. The collaborative also advocates changes to the testing regimen, recommending that tests be conducted on alternate years instead of each year, and for additional measures - such as portfolio assessments and classroom participation - to be used in measuring whether a student has met state and national standards. The report said, on the local level, government officials and residents can also play a role in improving student performance. Affordable housing, early childhood education programs, adult literacy programs and child-health programs could all contribute to the success of children in public schools, the report said."
Assessing the value of pre-k: Benefits seem clear, but are there unintended consequences?
Date CapturedSunday November 26 2006, 8:41 AM
The Daily Progress (Virginia) reports, "Private and public preschools are growing as more research has developed that reinforces the importance of early childhood development to later academic success. Parents who can afford private preschools have acted on these findings, enrolling their children earlier and at an increasing rate. But some worry this may contribute to the gap in achievement that exists in public schools."
Florida city-run charter school joins preschool program
Date CapturedThursday November 23 2006, 10:48 AM
The News-Press reports, "Cape Coral's [Florida] city-run charter school system is entering the preschool business. City council granted approval Monday for the Charter School Authority to host the state-run Voluntary Prekindergarten program at Christa McAuliffe Charter Elementary."
Preschool Is School, Sometimes: Making early childhood education matter
Date CapturedTuesday November 21 2006, 9:45 AM
Education Next contributor Robert C. Pianta, professor of education at the Curry School of Education and director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, the University of Virginia writes, "Recent work suggests that direct training methods, such as mentoring and coaching and constructive feedback based on observation of teachers, can improve early education practice and children’s performance."
Funding is key to education reform
Date CapturedSunday November 19 2006, 3:35 AM
The Seattle Times reports, "Here is what lies in the future for our schools and our children if we enact even a portion of the panel's ideas: • State funding for all-day kindergarten, thus eliminating tuition-based classes and the piecemeal offerings that vary from school to school. • Expanded professional development and a pay scale based on merit. • More-rigorous high-school course requirements targeting the gaping weaknesses in math and science curricula. • A 10-year plan for expected increases in enrollment at colleges and universities. And those very things are what our schools and children won't receive if a long-term, stable source of funding isn't developed."
Enriching Education Throughout Childhood Pays Big Dividends
Date CapturedWednesday November 15 2006, 5:31 AM
Newswise reports, "Researchers have previously noted that many of the advantages children receive from preschool experiences begin to wane as they continue through school. A study by James Heckman, a Nobel-Prize winning economist shows for the first time that systematic interventions throughout childhood and adolescence could sustain the early gains and build on them."
Session seeks parent involvement in North Carolina education
Date CapturedSunday November 12 2006, 7:42 AM
Myrltle Beach Online reports "New Carolina [state economic development group] officials and its partners plan to create a 'tool kit' of best practices for fostering parent involvement for education organizations and businesses. They also hope to push for full funding and implementation of a 2000 law, approved by state lawmakers, called Parental Involvement in Their Children's Education Act. The act requires schools to implement parent involvement programs, requires training in those programs and delineates expectations for parents. The law was not fully funded, conference leaders said."
Pre-K funding under fire by some analysts
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 8:20 AM
Mexia Daily News (Texas) reports, "As Darcy Olsen of the Goldwater Institute writes, 'The lack of any apparent relationship between increased enrollment in early education programs and later student achievement suggests more formal early education is unlikely to improve student achievement.' Yet Texas currently spends more than half a billion dollars on public pre-K, in addition to federal and private dollars spent on early childhood education. So what would universal pre-K do? It would further government’s creep into the lives of families and children. It would provide taxpayer-subsidized daycare for parents, many of whom already choose and can afford to send their children to center-based care. It would fail to increase overall student achievement, and it would do all of this at a cost to taxpayers of at least $2.3 billion each year."
Massachusetts preschool initiative smart business move
Date CapturedSaturday November 11 2006, 8:09 AM
The Republican opined, "Nobel laureate James J. Heckman argues that early intervention for disadvantaged children promotes staying in school, raises the quality of the workforce, enhances the productivity of schools and has the effect of reducing crime, teen pregnancy and dependence on welfare. And a Chicago study concluded that every dollar spent on early childhood education yields a return of $7 in higher taxes on earnings and lower expenditures on welfare, prisons, crime and special education."
Boost for migrant education
Date CapturedTuesday November 07 2006, 8:32 AM
Monterey Herald reports, "There are both home-based and school-based programs. The home program is structured to have teachers and aides work in the family's home. The school program has parents and children attending class together at one of 12 school districts in the county."
Regents Propose State Aid Hike
Date CapturedSunday October 29 2006, 5:55 AM
Post-Journal reports, "Historically, four aids in particular have experienced significant increases as schools report their expenditures: building, transportation, public excess cost for special education and BOCES aids. As a result, the Regents eventual recommendation may vary by as much as $200 million. An update will be available in December. 'Student achievement has been improving, but we have far to go,’' said Robert M. Bennett, regents chancellor. 'To accelerate this progress, we must invest the funds our neediest children deserve so they can all get a good education. The Regents are urging full access to pre-kindergarten for all 4-year-olds. Our total state aid proposal offers a fair and sustainable solution to one of New York’s most critical issues.'’’
First 5 California
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 10:16 PM
FIRST 5 CALIFORNIA
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 8:03 PM
Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically in the first five years and what parents and caregivers do during these years to support their child’s growth will have a meaningful impact throughout life. Based on this research, First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families Commission, was established after voters passed Proposition 10 in November 1998, adding a 50 cents-per-pack tax on cigarettes to fund education, health, child care and other programs for expectant parents and children up to age 5.
School system problems
Date CapturedThursday October 26 2006, 11:19 AM
Burlington Free Press contributor ROBERT MAYNARD, a member of Freedom Works Vermont opined on universal pre-k, "If a decentralized and flexible approach puts our children at an advantage in early education, why not apply that approach to our current K-12 system? Perhaps we should put parents back in control of their own children’s education and put an end to the government monopoly over education."
Cutting preschool costs
Date CapturedMonday October 23 2006, 7:22 AM
Boston Globe reports, "Two factors helped lower the cost. First,an initial plan to offer four free hours of preschool has been scrapped. Some families would have to share the costs, as they do now. That's a loss. Ideally, preschool should be a free local resource, just like public school . But this compromise should help speed action. The second factor was a recent survey that measured the demand for preschool and found that some parents wanted fewer hours than was initially anticipated."
Children with, without special needs grow at the Stepping Stones Learning Center
Date CapturedSaturday October 21 2006, 8:05 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guess essayist Mariellen Cupini, CEO, Stepping Stones Learning Center writes, "Each class is staffed by a core team of three: state-certified special education and regular education teachers and a classroom assistant. In addition, during the class, other teachers/therapists assist. These include speech, occupational, physical and music therapists, as well as social workers. While these professionals target the children who receive these services, the entire class benefits.."
Relax, It’s Just Preschool
Date CapturedSaturday October 21 2006, 7:23 AM
NY Times contributor HILLARY CHURA writes, "Sources like the Department of Education nces.ed.gov, schooldigger .com, psk12.com and schoolsk-12.com allow you to examine school size, some demographics and occasionally test scores in public or private — but rarely both — schools. The material, however, can be dated. Apple-to-apple meters are hard to pinpoint since students at independent schools rarely take the mandatory tests as do their counterparts at public schools, said Myra McGovern, spokeswoman for the National Association of Independent Schools."
For preschool programs, does more costly mean better?
Date CapturedFriday October 20 2006, 10:15 PM
NorthJersey.com reports, "'I don't believe there is a 100 percent correlation between cost and quality,' she [Linda Kriegel, executive director of Bergen County's Office for Children] says. 'Parents need to look at a lot of things, and cost is just one of those things.' Other factors include the tenure of the teachers and whether the school has a good reputation. One starting place for parents is the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which accredits preschools based on certain criteria."
Teacher, management collaboration a key lesson
Date CapturedSaturday October 14 2006, 9:57 AM
The Providence Journal reports, "Urbanski [director of the Teacher Union Reform Network] argued that you can't accomplish true reform unless you change what happens to children's lives before and after school. That means doing more in the areas of early childhhod education, after-school programs, health care and housing."
Nurseries’ success hard to measure
Date CapturedSaturday October 14 2006, 9:39 AM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH reports on babies born in prison, "The inmates spend their days in classes on parenting skills, CPR and car-seat safety. There’s a weekly story time for the babies and sessions on 'the power of the praying parent' for their mothers. The babies are isolated from the rest of the prison and don’t leave their immediate area. Other inmates serve as nannies while the mothers go to class, see counselors or visit the dining hall for meals.
’The Plight of Black Students in South Carolilna.’
Date CapturedFriday October 06 2006, 9:40 AM
The Times and Democrat report, "Proponents of school choice and vouchers as well as supporters of the public schools agreed at a recent South Carolina State University forum that strengthening the black family, getting more parental involvement in the education of children and more early childhood education programs are essential to producing successful students."
$11.6 Million in Grants Awarded for Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers, Early Intervention Personnel
Date CapturedThursday October 05 2006, 5:52 PM
The money will also be used to train specialists in early intervention and other aspects of services for students with disabilities, recognizing that the earlier children can be identified as being in need of services, the greater the likelihood they can reach their education potential.
Proposed Legislation To Get Lead Out of Child Care Facilities
Date CapturedWednesday October 04 2006, 1:02 AM
WIFR reports, "The Lead Poisoning Reduction Act of 2006 requires all non-home-based child care facilities to be certified lead-safe in five years. It establishes a five-year, $42.6 million grant program to help communities reduce lead exposure in day care centers, Head Start programs and kindergartens. It also establishes best practices for communities to test for and reduce lead hazards."
Teaching preschoolers is good for everybody
Date CapturedTuesday October 03 2006, 7:41 AM
The Denver Post reports, "Researchers have solidly documented what happens to children who do not get mental, physical and environmental stimulation during those crucial early years: Their cognitive skills are woefully inadequate, and they wind up behind in first grade. That is where the education gap first appears between poor and wealthy children. As taxpayers, we pay for a public school education system that starts too late."
THE BIG PLAY
Date CapturedSaturday September 30 2006, 7:56 AM
NY Post reports on new "Playworks" installation at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, "'Playing with your child is the best foundation for learning,' says Leslie Bushara, CMOM's deputy director of education."
Range of symptoms define ADHD
Date CapturedSunday September 24 2006, 9:46 AM
Poughkeepsie Journal reports, "It is estimated between 3 percent and 5 percent of children have ADHD. Unfortunately, when overlooked, children can go on to have difficulties with academics and peer relationships. Additionally, a minority of individuals with ADHD are at higher risk for oppositional behaviors, low self-esteem, mood or anxiety disorders and substance abuse. It becomes important to assess for ADHD early on."
That's Edu-tainment
Date CapturedSaturday September 23 2006, 8:16 AM
NY Daily News reports on a New York City children's museum, "The museum has just launched a first-of-its-kind interactive Playworks exhibit that focuses on ­early childhood learning. Designed for children from infancy to age 4 and catering also to blind and hearing-impaired children, the focus is on 'earning through play.'" The Children's Museum of Manhattan is at the Tisch Building, 212 W. 83rd St., (212) 721-1223.
Mississippi Education: Dropouts Bounds' (State Superintendent of Education) next target
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 12:02 PM
The Clarion Ledger opined, "Bounds is embarking on a fund-raising drive to implement ways to keep kids in school. It's a daunting task, Bounds says, because a key to keeping kids in school is having them ready to enter school. By third grade, he says, teachers can predict which kids will ultimately drop out. 'Some states base the number of prison beds on that figure,' he said. The children started school behind and can never catch up - exacerbated here because Mississippi is one of the few states without a prekindergarten program."
Massachusetts, Pittsfield District has high hopes for grant
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 11:38 AM
Berkshire Eagle reports, "Schools officials believe that a rare federal grant recently awarded to the Pittsfield Public School District will help increase school attendance, decrease disruptive behavior and improve graduation rates. The $2.8 million Safe Schools/Healthy Students Grant is part of a joint effort by the U.S. departments of Education, Health and Human services. Only 19 districts across the nation were awarded the three-year grant, and Pittsfield secured the second-largest sum."
Toughen home day care enforcement? No
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 9:12 AM
NY Daily News Op-Ed contributors Sandra Robinson, family day-care provider in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Ilana Berger, Director of Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE) opined, "Ironically, rather than improving safety conditions, the new rules would force desperate parents to leave children in more dangerous situations. They would have to scramble to find ad hoc care or potentially leave their kids entirely unsupervised."
Toughen home day care enforcement? Yes
Date CapturedSunday September 17 2006, 8:56 AM
NY Daily News Op-Ed contributor ELLIOTT MARCUS, associate commissioner overseeing the city Health Department's Bureau of Day Care opined, "An example of an issue we reviewed was what's called the "egress" policy. City and state laws require two means of exiting any building that houses a child-care center. The rule is meant to ensure that in the event of an emergency, children can be evacuated quickly and safely. We looked carefully at the policy's implementation, working closely with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and the Fire Department. We met with community groups and considered the characteristics of the city's housing stock as well as the economic interests of providers who offer care in their homes."
Some see early South Carolina childhood program opening voucher door
Date CapturedFriday September 15 2006, 1:04 AM
AP reports, "Under the new law, children have to live in the suing school districts and meet age and income limits to get into the privately operated programs. But they can 'attend schools outside that geography,' DeVenny [director of statewide early childhood education program] said."
Service-learning program gives children a ‘jump start’ into school
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 1:36 PM
"The School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has launched a new outreach and service-learning program aimed at helping economically disadvantaged preschoolers get a "jump start" on kindergarten, while giving college students experience in the classroom."
Clinton County hit with huge state ed bill
Date CapturedThursday September 14 2006, 7:34 AM
Press Republican reports, "The county must come up with more than $300,000 immediately to satisfy a bill from the State Department of Education for pre-school special education services. Some of the charges go back to 2004."
Harvard Ends Early Admission, Citing Barrier to Disadvantaged
Date CapturedTuesday September 12 2006, 2:58 AM
NY Times ALAN FINDER and KAREN W. ARENSON report, "Harvard will be the first of the nation’s prestigious universities to do away completely with early admissions, in which high school seniors try to bolster their chances at competitive schools by applying in the fall and learning whether they have been admitted in December, months before other students."
New York Children’s Action Network [CAN] wants state government to make children’s issues a priority
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 1:54 PM
Legislative Gazette reports, " The network’s first step is to create a 'children’s budget,' which will strengthen programs and services that affect children and their families."
Is local Ohio school performance linked to poverty?
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 1:48 PM
Athens News reports, "Several factors contribute to the discrepancy in test results between students living in poverty and those who don't, but the size of the gap is still surprising."
Growing Up In New York: Charting the Next Generation of Workers, Citizens and Leaders
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 10:02 AM
A report produced by SCAA, reviews the status of children and youth in New York State through charts and critical data. Authors write, "While many individual students have succeeded in New York’s public education system, students as a group show declining aptitude as they age. The implications for college readiness are obvious and alarming."
Join New York CAN
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 9:55 AM
You have an exciting opportunity to join fellow New Yorkers in providing a strong, unified voice to elevate children’s needs as a priority in New York State. How? Become a part of New York CAN.
Nursery-school students get head start on computers
Date CapturedMonday September 11 2006, 9:32 AM
The Columbus Dispatch reports, "About two-thirds of children in nursery school use computers and 23 percent of them use the Internet, according to a national study." (read study on Education New York Online --- see Education Policy page, Information Policy link)
Backers push Arizona tax, say kids in need
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 8:16 AM
The Arizona Republic reports, "The $150 million tax would pay for voluntary early-childhood education programs and health screenings for children up to 5 years old. advertisement That's the plan by the First Things First campaign, which pushed Proposition 203 on to the Nov. 7 ballot. Foes argue the measure creates a new layer of government and minimizes the role of parents." The proposal is modeled after a North Carolina program.
New York state schools told to reach out to at-risk kids
Date CapturedThursday September 07 2006, 6:26 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Johnson, [assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Bush administration], before serving as keynote speaker for a United Way fundraiser at Rochester Country Club on Wednesday, said improving education in urban districts can happen with a rigorous curriculum that applies to all students, excellent teaching, and comprehensive and diagnostic student assessments."
Computer and Internet Use by Students in 2003
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 11:00 AM
This report examines the use of computers and the Internet by American children enrolled in nursery school and students in kindergarten through grade 12. One of the more important findings presented in the report is that schools appear to help narrow the disparities between different types of students in terms of computer use. Differences in the rates of computer use are smaller at school than they are at home when considering such characteristics as race/ethnicity, family income, and parental education. DeBell, M., and Chapman, C. (2006). Computer and Internet Use by Students in 2003 (NCES 2006– 065). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Get involved in education: Parents and residents all have a role to play in teaching our young people
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 10:21 AM
The Timberjay opined, "Along similar lines, researchers have found that students benefit when parents attend parent-teacher conferences, support school activities, or help out in classrooms or on field trips. And the earlier this occurs in a child’s educational process, the research says, the more powerful the effects will be."
A ride to pre-K
Date CapturedTuesday September 05 2006, 5:40 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle opined, "It is well-known that children in the poorest city neighborhoods are more likely to live with single working parents or parents who don't own cars. This makes transporting children to a 21/2-hour pre-K program difficult, if not impossible. Those few agencies that host prekindergarten programs and use their own resources to transport kids find their services are in demand."
$101.6 Million in Early Reading First Grants Awarded to 25 States
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 10:29 PM
U.S. Department of Education: Early Reading First programs focus on language, cognition and early reading so that young children enter kindergarten with the oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness and knowledge of the alphabet necessary to begin to learn how to read.
Education Secretary Spellings spotlights early literacy
Date CapturedFriday September 01 2006, 8:50 AM
The Providence Journal reports on funds granted, "The $3.6-million Reading First grant will be used to train childcare workers at four Providence daycare centers: Federal Hill House, West End Community Center, Genesis Center and John Hope Settlement House. The grants will also help the centers buy books and other materials to prepare children for kindergarten and first grade. The $3.3-million professional-development grant will pay for 250 hours of training in early childhood literacy for 200 childcare workers."
Age 2: Findings From the 2-Year-Old Follow-up of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort
Date CapturedTuesday August 29 2006, 10:52 AM
This report presents information on selected child and family characteristics, on children’s mental and physical skills, on children's attachment relationships with their primary caregivers, on their first experiences in child care, and on their fathers. Mulligan, G.M. and Flanagan, K.D. (2006). Age 2: Findings From the 2-Year-Old Follow-up of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) (NCES 2006-043). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Statewide preschool pushed in Idaho
Date CapturedMonday August 28 2006, 9:21 AM
AP reports, "Advocates for early childhood education have told a legislative task force that eager-to-learn 3-year-old kids in the state are falling behind their counterparts elsewhere because Idaho doesn't give them a chance to attend publicly funded preschool."
Back to School / 7 trends to watch: From reading to algebra, everything in school is starting earlier
Date CapturedSunday August 27 2006, 9:25 AM
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, "Everything is starting earlier and earlier in education. The trend is being driven by a combination of factors: parental anxiety that children will fall behind if not pushed almost from birth; frustration with schools that have failed to boost achievement for disadvantaged students or challenge the middle and top tiers sufficiently; cut-throat competition for college entrance; a growing reliance on high-stakes testing; a sense that America is losing ground in the global marketplace."
New group backs push for Ohio early childhood initiatives
Date CapturedSaturday August 26 2006, 8:45 AM
Times-Reporter publishes AP report, "A growing number of states – among them Florida, Oklahoma and Georgia – have already extended publicly funded education to include preschool for 4-year-olds. But the Ohio plan takes the concept further than other states have so far, calling for Ohio to create a new preschool teaching license; to convene a legislative task force; to establish a Board of Early Education and Care; and to make its extensive resources more readily available to families. The recommendations also include combining all services for the youngest children under one state agency. That would include behavioral and physical health resources, services for the disabled, educational offerings and programs for needy families."
Utah preschool alternative proposed
Date CapturedFriday August 25 2006, 2:26 PM
Deseret Morning News reports, "It would offer training to day-care centers and existing preschools. It would provide outreach for low-income, immigrant and otherwise disadvantaged families, including home visits, creating small groups and working with public libraries and neighborhood schools, Stephenson [Senator] said. Families also could attend 'learning parties' at public or private schools to acquire such skills and build school community bonds."
Connecticut Prevention Efforts No Longer Measured In Ounces
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 7:57 PM
The Newtown Bee reports, "She [Zimmerman, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Children] pointed out that every dollar invested in prenatal care saves $3.38 in the cost of caring for low-birth-weight infants; that every dollar invested in preschool in Connecticut produces a return on investment of $18.39; and every dollar spent on quality after-school programs produces a return on investment ranging from $2.19 to $3.22 - not including the significant savings realized from lower crime."
Assistance to States for the Education of Children With Disabilities and Preschool Grants for Children With Disabilities
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 11:20 AM
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education: The Secretary issues final regulations governing the Assistance to States for Education of Children with Disabilities Program and the Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities Program. These regulations are needed to implement changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (Act or IDEA). DATES: These regulations take effect on October 13, 2006.
Children's pre-K education is crucial to their future success
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 9:06 AM
Idaho Statesman Op-Ed contributor Eldon Wallace, retired associate commissioner of finance with the Missouri Department of Higher Education opined on early learning, "We are being confronted with overwhelming evidence that the great potential for early learning and for social-skill development during the first five years of life has not been met for many of our children. As a result, there is a major gap in kindergarten readiness in Idaho between the children who are educationally neglected and the children of parents who can afford preschool and/or have time, knowledge and motivation to work with their child."
Demand for preschool widens — as does ethnic gap
Date CapturedThursday August 24 2006, 8:41 AM
The Journal News reports, "Hispanic parents tend not to send their children to preschool for a number of reasons. Financial constraints, low educational status and a cultural preference for caring for children at home are among the most common explanations."
Early, higher education among ethnic-minority parents' top concerns
Date CapturedWednesday August 23 2006, 4:03 PM
Whittier Daily News reports on multi-language poll, "Findings show that all African American, Asian and Latino parents interviewed strongly support preschool programs, as well as the state-mandated high school exit exam."
Alabama Child Find program searching for children with special needs
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 4:40 PM
The Brewton Standard reports, "The Child Find program is a direct result of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B of 2004. Brewton City Schools as well as Escambia County Schools participate in this program."
Free preschool will help Latinos and US
Date CapturedMonday August 21 2006, 7:29 AM
Christian Science Monitor contributor Alexandra Starr, journalism fellow in child and family policy in 2005 opined, "To give all kids a chance to be successful in school, we have to intervene early. Kindergarten is too late. But creating more early education programs isn't enough; states need to proactively reach out to Latinos. If they don't, expanding pre-K could ironically increase the disparities in educational achievement, as more whites and African-American kids enroll in these programs, and Latinos continue to be left out."
Connie Williams Coulianos gets A+ for work with children
Date CapturedSunday August 20 2006, 8:40 AM
NY Daily News reports, "Connie Williams Coulianos, who teaches at Columbia University's Hollingworth Preschool, will be honored in the September issue of Nick Jr. Family magazine. The 53-year-old teacher was selected from among more than 570 instructors, who were nominated by their colleagues, parents and education experts."
U of Pennsylvania researcher to speak about centers approach
Date CapturedThursday August 17 2006, 8:17 AM
The Mercury reports on proposed grade configuration, "Specifically, he [Harris Sokoloff, researcher] has been looking into a concept now being considered by the school board in which Pottstown’s traditional neighborhood K-5 elementary schools would be eliminated. In their place, students would be taught in 'centers' in which two consecutive grades would be concentrated. Under this concept, all Pottstown’s second- and third-graders would be in a single 'center,' the third and fourth grades in another."
Massachusetts leaders join forces to improve education from pre-K to college
Date CapturedTuesday August 15 2006, 7:42 PM
AP reports, "Members of the Massachusetts Advisory Committee on Education Policy say they hope the meeting will begin a historic cooperation between the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Education and the Board of Higher Education. The committee is made up of high-level officials from the three state agencies. 'Education policy now crosses every sector of education,' said Stephen Tocco, the chairman of the Board of Higher Education. 'We really have to talk collectively.'"
Maryland Committee for Children
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 2:18 PM
Texas children’s museum, Success by 6 team up to help children
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 2:07 PM
The Brownsville Herald reports, "The Children’s Museum of Brownsville and Success By 6 partnered on Aug. 5 to give children between 3 and 6 medical and literacy check-ups prior to starting the 2006-2007 school year. Children were taught pre-reading skills and given dental, well-being and visual screenings."
Pre-K Set For Oswego Schools
Date CapturedMonday August 14 2006, 12:35 PM
Oswego Daily News reports, "The goals of the Universal Pre-Kindergarten program are to meet the individual needs of four-year-old children in the areas of social, academic, language, emotional and physical development."
Special-needs preschool to get more county cash
Date CapturedThursday August 10 2006, 7:46 AM
The Journal News reports on $5 million agreement with Saint Francis Hospital, "'These specialized services not only help our children develop into happy and confident adolescents and young adults, but also greatly enhance the lives of our families dealing with these developmental issues,' he [Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus] said."
Study: California facing child-care crisis
Date CapturedWednesday August 09 2006, 11:16 AM
Pasadena Star News reports, "The study, commissioned by First 5 California, UC Berkeley and the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network, found that one-quarter of California preschool teachers with bachelor's degrees or higher are 50 years or older and approaching retirement. It also found the turnover rate for early childhood education teachers was twice that of California public school K-12 teachers."
Let's do more for the libraries
Date CapturedSunday August 06 2006, 9:17 AM
NY Daily News opined, "For students, they are homework centers. For the unemployed, they are job centers. For anyone without a computer, they are Internet access. For small children, they are story time. For immigrants, they are the English language."
Romney vetoes universal prekindergarten in state
Date CapturedSaturday August 05 2006, 9:35 AM
AP reports, "Some education specialists believe such early classroom programs pave the way for future academic success. But Romney said he wanted to wait until the results from an ongoing $4.6 million prekindergarten pilot program in Massachusetts, which concludes in February of 2007."
Maryland Gov. consolidates early learning with education
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 8:14 AM
Baltimore Sun op-ed contributor Sandra J. Skolnik, executive director of the Maryland Committee for Children writes, " Consolidating early care and education with K-to-12 education is a move supported by research, logic, and economics, creating a continuum of development from birth through grade 12. And yet, it breaks with decades of thinking that held 'education' in the K-12 silo while state involvement in early care has been largely the purview of social service departments. It required vision from Maryland's governor, legislative leaders, and state school superintendent to make a break with past thinking and with entrenched bureaucratic interests. It remains to be seen whether other states will muster the political will to do so."
U.S. Issues New Rules on Schools and Disability
Date CapturedFriday August 04 2006, 12:20 AM
NY Times Diana Jean Schemo reports, "In regulations issued today after changes to the law, the federal Education Department said states could not require school districts to rely on that method, allowing districts to find other ways to determine which children are eligible for extra help."
United Way sets priorities
Date CapturedWednesday August 02 2006, 8:32 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports, "Spending on the Strong Start program, another early childhood initiative that gives extra help to children who enter kindergarten with risks of failure, also will expand to three schools from one. United Way will double its funding for the Hillside Work Scholarship Connection, attempting to reach 200 more kids, and increase the number of school-community partnership programs, such as the one at East High and five other schools. By 2008 there'd be a total of 11 schools with these centers for counseling, mentoring and tutoring. Carpino said these programs reduce drop-out rates. United Way will continue to fund after-school programs that keep children safe and off the street, such as Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Rochester and YMCA."
Texas Pre-K is open to more students
Date CapturedTuesday August 01 2006, 9:41 AM
Star-Telegram reports, "Children in military families are being accepted for the first time this year, after a change in state law. The Texas Education Agency estimates that 5,395 3- and 4-year-old military children live in the state and that about half of them already qualified for pre-kindergarten because of income or language limitations. School officials say it's too soon to tell how many more active-duty families will take advantage of the pre-kindergarten programs, but some parents have already shown interest."
FIGHTING POVERTY; WHAT N.Y.C. NEEDS TO DO
Date CapturedMonday July 31 2006, 7:35 AM
NY Post contributor Richard D. Parsons, chairman & CEO of Time Warner Inc. and co-chair of Mayor Bloomberg's Commission on Economic Opportunity writes, "We know that poverty rates decrease when education rates increase. That is why the mayor and city schools Chancellor Joel Klein have worked so hard to bring accountability to our public schools and improve high-school graduation rates. While much progress has been made, much more needs to be, and can be, done at all levels. We need to give particular focus to preschoolers, and we need to make it easier for more of our young people to go to college."
Children's Policy Council makes a difference in Selma, Dallas County
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 8:31 PM
The Selma Times-Journal reports, "According to District Judge Bob Armstrong, the Dallas County Children's Policy Council is Selma's 'best kept secret.' The council is comprised of representatives from city and county resource centers and agencies and volunteers. Their duty by state law is to assess the needs of the county's children, then find avenues to meet them."
Nip problem in bud with early education initiatives
Date CapturedSunday July 30 2006, 8:44 AM
Indianapolis Star op-ed writes, "We need a comprehensive strategy similar to the P-16 Plan for Improving Student Achievement, adopted three years ago by business and education leaders on the Education Roundtable, but since shelved. The P-16 Plan wisely addressed a continuum of educational policies that ranged from the developmental needs of children in prekindergarten programs (the 'P' in P-16), to the skills needed by high school graduates, and the need for collaboration between secondary and postsecondary education."
Preschool for all Illinois children — or at least 10,000
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 5:50 PM
The Telegraph reports, "Illinois becomes the first state in the nation to open up preschool to potentially all of its 3- and 4-year-olds, the governor's office said. But with only $45 million for the coming school year, priority will be given to 'at-risk' kids and youngsters from lower income levels."
Fight crime; restart 'War on Poverty'
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 8:59 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle guest essayist Dr. Peter Mott writes, "Early studies showed clearly that children did better in school because of Head Start and nutrition programs, and that expensive visits to hospital emergency rooms fell dramatically when primary health care was accessible in neighborhoods."
In Kindergarten Playtime, a New Meaning for ‘Play’
Date CapturedWednesday July 26 2006, 8:50 AM
NY Times contributor Clara Hemphill, director of Insideschools.org, a project of Advocates for Children of New York writes, "Now, with an increased emphasis on academic achievement even in the earliest grades, playtime in kindergarten is giving way to worksheets, math drills and fill-in-the-bubble standardized tests."
Oswego to have Universal Pre-K
Date CapturedTuesday July 25 2006, 9:07 AM
The Post-Standard reports, "The short-term benefits are readiness for kindergarten, a smoother transition to school and exposure to literacy and numeration. Research shows pre-kindergarten participants are less likely to (fail a grade) or be placed in special education. As adults, they are more likely to get better jobs and earn more money."
Education race
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 2:19 PM
The Boston Globe reports, "The achievement gap between Latino and non-Latino students 'begins before children even enter kindergarten and persists throughout the K-12 years,' according to a new report from Pre-K Now, a nonprofit organization in Washington. These children face a lifelong achievement gap, making it tempting to target preschool to children who are 'at-risk.'" READ REFERENCED REPORT ON EDUCATION NEW YORK ONLINE -- see EARLY LEARNING, IMMIGRATION.
Child care’s impact is wide; The industry has $787 million impact on South Carolina economy, according to study
Date CapturedMonday July 24 2006, 7:14 AM
The State reports, "Early childhood education officials hope the study will prompt lawmakers to invest in the industry, fueling both the state’s economic development and improvements in public K-12 education."
After the Bell Curve
Date CapturedSunday July 23 2006, 9:26 AM
NY Times Magazine, David L. Kirp, professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley writes, "When it comes to explaining the roots of intelligence, the fight between partisans of the gene and partisans of the environment is ancient and fierce. Each side challenges the other’s intellectual bona fides and political agendas. What is at stake is not just the definition of good science but also the meaning of the just society. The nurture crowd is predisposed to revive the War on Poverty, while the hereditarians typically embrace a Social Darwinist perspective."
Education Center Focuses on High-Quality Teaching Using Video and Latest Technology
Date CapturedFriday July 21 2006, 7:14 PM
Newswise reports, "The University of Virginia Curry School of Education has been awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to determine if a new method for training preschool teachers results in their students, especially disadvantaged children, learning language and literacy skills better."
U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approves Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill for fiscal year 2007.
Date CapturedThursday July 20 2006, 11:31 PM
U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee July 20, 2006 press release.
Why Is Academic Testing Leaving Children Behind?
Date CapturedWednesday July 19 2006, 3:04 PM
Newswise reports, "Low-income children tend to do poorly on high-stakes academic achievement tests. A pilot study led by Deborah Waber, PhD in Children's Hospital Boston's Department of Psychiatry suggests their low scores may arise from developmental issues – particularly in 'executive' functions like organization, planning and control over thoughts and actions."
New Strong museum explores and celebrates world of play
Date CapturedFriday July 14 2006, 8:20 AM
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Adams, president and CEO of Strong — National Museum of Play writes, "Children at play practice adult roles and learn to solve problems and make decisions. They socialize, discover appropriate ways of self-expression and gain confidence. When we don't play, we are less creative and productive. We are more sedentary, more easily fatigued, more susceptible to obesity and more likely to encounter social and emotional stress and issues."
America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2005 (EDUCATION)
Date CapturedThursday July 13 2006, 11:18 PM
This section presents key indicators of how well children are learning and progressing from early childhood through postsecondary school.
Pre-K Now
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:26 PM
Pre-K and Latinos: The Foundation of America's Future
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:15 PM
Eugene E. Garcia, Ph.D., Arizona State University, College of Education, Tempe, AZ; Danielle M. Gonzales, M.Ed., Pre-K Now Washington, DC, July 2006. Providing Hispanics with much greater access to high-quality pre-k is critical to helping states meet the standards and mandates of NCLB. To maximize the benefits of increased Latino participation in pre-k, programs should be structured to build upon the existing strengths within Latino communities, including strong family bonds, a high value on educational achievement, and widespread support for public education and social systems.
High-Quality Pre-Kindergarten for Hispanic Children is Key to Closing Achievement Gap
Date CapturedMonday July 10 2006, 8:10 PM
PRNewswire writes, "The report notes that Hispanic children are more likely than whites to start school without the foundational math and reading knowledge and skills necessary for academic success. Studies have shown that these disparities persist throughout Hispanics' educational careers. However, pre-k has been shown to improve these skills in all children -- and particularly in Hispanic children."
Schooling project doesn't address real problem
Date CapturedSunday July 09 2006, 8:50 AM
Star-Gazette letter to editor, "It really isn't about truth, but satisfying insatiable wants."
Learning to read, write and cope; Preschool for homeless provides a place kids, parents can count on
Date CapturedThursday July 06 2006, 9:40 AM
Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports, "Children might attend for a few days or a few years -- the teachers never know -- so from the moment they step through the front door, the staff has a laserlike focus."
Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE)
Date CapturedSaturday July 01 2006, 8:43 PM
Helping Children In Earliest Years Is Most Cost-effective Use Of Public Funds, Authors Say
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 11:26 AM
Pre-kindergarten programs can trim education costs
Date CapturedThursday June 29 2006, 9:59 AM
New CED Report Shows the “Economic Promise” of Prekindergarten Programs
Date CapturedWednesday June 28 2006, 12:18 PM
read full report on Education New York Online EDUCATION POLICY page, EARLY LEARNING folder.
Less-costly alternatives to Prop. 82 could yield better results
Date CapturedWednesday June 28 2006, 8:07 AM
RUSSELL W. RUMBERGER is professor of education and director of the University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute at UC-Santa Barbara. He wrote this article for the Mercury News.
Hawaii P-20 education initiatives focus on continued development
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 9:10 AM
Planning a new preschool
Date CapturedThursday June 22 2006, 7:33 AM
The Journal News
Tennessee Gov. Bredesen Announces $20 Million in New Dollars for Pre-K Funding
Date CapturedTuesday June 20 2006, 4:13 PM
EARLY CHILDHOOD.ORG
Date CapturedSaturday June 17 2006, 11:35 AM
This website has been developed by the NYS Council on Children and Families' Head Start Collaboration Project to support professional development and improve the quality of early childhood and school-age programs.
Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (SCAA)
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 11:25 PM
The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (SCAA), is a statewide, nonprofit policy analysis and advocacy organization working to shape policies that improve the economic security and health status of low and moderate income New Yorkers, and help all children become capable adults.
South Carolina early learning program helps at-risk students
Date CapturedFriday June 16 2006, 10:20 PM
PRE-K IS GAINING FAVOR
Date CapturedThursday June 15 2006, 7:35 AM
Missouri childhood education program signed
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 8:00 AM
Investment in early ed pays off for business
Date CapturedWednesday June 14 2006, 7:30 AM
Early education still an option in California district
Date CapturedMonday June 12 2006, 7:46 AM
Reaction mixed as NYS ups pre-K ante
Date CapturedFriday June 09 2006, 7:56 AM
"Taking Preschool Education Seriously as an Economic Development Program: Effects on Jobs and Earnings of State Residents Compared to Traditional Economic Development Programs"
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:12 AM
Timothy Bartik, Senior Economist, The Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
"The Effects of Investing in Early Education on Economic Growth"
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:08 AM
By William T. Dickens, Isabel Sawhill, and Jeffrey Tebbs
"American Business Leaders' Views on Publicly-funded Pre-Kindergarten and the Advantages to the Economy"
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:05 AM
John Zogby, President and CEO, Zogby International
Vermont Gov. Douglas balks at early ed
Date CapturedThursday June 08 2006, 7:00 AM
Is Head Start justified?
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 8:18 AM
California voters reject tax on the wealthy to fund preschools
Date CapturedWednesday June 07 2006, 7:53 AM
Universal Preschool in California: Why David Brooks is Wrong
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 7:51 PM
Pulling Strings to Get Into a Top (Pre-) School
Date CapturedMonday June 05 2006, 7:27 PM
Pre-K success depends on teachers
Date CapturedSunday June 04 2006, 5:28 PM
Preschool for All initiative draws mixed and ambivalent reactions
Date CapturedSaturday June 03 2006, 9:55 AM
Florida Pre-K programs in need of better funding, critics say
Date CapturedSaturday June 03 2006, 9:38 AM
Shades of voucher battles: Some California preschools oppose Prop. 82
Date CapturedFriday June 02 2006, 2:35 PM
New York City Council Speaker continues push for full-day Pre-K
Date CapturedFriday June 02 2006, 2:24 PM
States debate preschool for all
Date CapturedThursday June 01 2006, 8:12 AM
Professors Find Preschool Benefits Grossly Exaggerated
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 10:16 AM
Toddlers Find Their Voice in Sign Language
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 9:49 AM
Parents Begin Spanish Language Lessons with Toddlers
Date CapturedWednesday May 31 2006, 9:48 AM
Universal Preschool Is a Benefit to Society
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 8:56 AM
‘High quality’ is key element for 4-K success
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 8:36 AM
California Initiative Renews Preschool Debate (NY Post registration)
Date CapturedTuesday May 30 2006, 7:36 AM
Prop. 82 an asset for California education
Date CapturedSunday May 28 2006, 7:58 PM
Preschool: the best policy money can buy
Date CapturedWednesday May 24 2006, 8:06 AM
Court: Connecticut town not required to transport charter school preschoolers
Date CapturedMonday May 22 2006, 7:03 PM
Actor, in a Role Change, Is Avoiding the Limelight (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedSaturday May 20 2006, 9:23 PM
California Gov. Schwarzenegger Seeks To Boost Preschool Funding
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 8:24 PM
Report hails California plan to make preschool universal
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 9:35 AM
Education must be a priority
Date CapturedFriday May 19 2006, 7:56 AM
Governors push access to preschool
Date CapturedThursday May 18 2006, 9:00 AM
Analysis champions California state's Prop. 82 preschool program
Date CapturedThursday May 18 2006, 8:30 AM
Initial Results From the 2005 NHES Early Childhood Program Participation Survey
Date CapturedThursday May 11 2006, 10:26 AM
This report presents selected data on the nonparental care arrangements and educational programs of preschool children, consisting of care by relatives, care by persons to whom they were not related, and participation in day care centers and preschool programs including Head Start or Early Head Start. It focuses on children under age 6 who have not yet entered kindergarten. For example, the report shows that 60 percent of such children were in some type of nonparental care arrangement on a weekly basis in 2005.
Illinois Gov. Blagojevich joins parents and early childhood experts to celebrate major preschool expansion
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 3:05 PM
Texans Willing to Pay for High-Quality Pre-Kindergarten for All Children
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 10:43 AM
Quinn pushing full-time pre-K
Date CapturedMonday May 08 2006, 7:54 AM
Program for Head Start teachers under way
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 9:59 PM
The best way to expand 4K in South Carolina
Date CapturedSunday May 07 2006, 8:01 AM
Illinois Gov. Blagojevich’s Preschool for All plan and college tuition relief plan win legislative approval
Date CapturedThursday May 04 2006, 10:41 PM
Kansas Gov. Sebelius outlines 'why,"how' of preschool plan
Date CapturedTuesday May 02 2006, 6:28 AM
RESEARCH ON EARLY LEARNING
Date CapturedMonday May 01 2006, 10:37 AM
No on Proposition 82, California preschool initiative amounts to welfare for middle-class parents
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 7:49 PM
Stretching the Preschool Day (NY Times registration)
Date CapturedSunday April 30 2006, 12:25 AM
NEW YORK STATE UNIVERSAL PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM
Date CapturedFriday April 28 2006, 4:14 PM
The pros and cons of California Universal Preschool
Date CapturedWednesday April 26 2006, 1:34 PM
North Carolina superintendents back early learning
Date CapturedSaturday April 22 2006, 8:21 AM
Superintendents back early education
Date CapturedSaturday April 22 2006, 8:17 AM
More California Early Education Groups Endorse Prop 82
Date CapturedWednesday April 19 2006, 6:59 AM
Early education confronts great divide
Date CapturedMonday April 17 2006, 7:25 AM
FL Pre-k enrollment not as high as expected
Date CapturedSunday April 16 2006, 9:08 AM
Focus on early learning is warranted
Date CapturedMonday April 10 2006, 4:14 PM
Universal preschool, universal benefits
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 8:21 AM
N.C. raising standards for child-care centers; Critics say new rules target top tier, ignore others
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 8:06 AM
AZ advocates push for better preschool education
Date CapturedMonday March 27 2006, 8:03 AM
Kindergarten change lacks teacher input
Date CapturedTuesday January 24 2006, 8:03 AM
Public Hearing on Early Childhood Education
Date CapturedSunday December 18 2005, 2:12 PM
December 8, 2005: submitted by Karen Schimke, President/CEO Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy.
Early Childhood Education: How Important are the Cost-Savings to the School System?
Date CapturedSunday December 18 2005, 1:51 PM
February 2004: cost-benefit analysis by economist Dr. Clive R. Belfield, of Teachers College, Columbia University



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