October 15, 2009
SEE Forums Releases Guide on Pathways to College
On October 6, SEE Forums (Scientific Evidence in Education Forums) released a new guide related to postsecondary education, titled, “Helping Students Navigate the Path to Challenge: What High Schools Can Do.” The guide was developed with funding from the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) at the Department of Education.
The guide’s author, Dr. Tom Bailey, Director of the National Center for Postsecondary Research at Columbia University, outlined the research that led to the publication’s recommendations at the event organized by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Recommendations for high school administrators in the guide include taking the following actions:
- Placing an emphasis on a college- and workplace-ready curriculum for all students
- Using diagnostic assessments to inform both teachers and students about what they know and what they need to learn to be ready for postsecondary education
- Establishing a college-going culture within a school among all students
- Offering comprehensive career counseling, including inviting all students to take SATs versus merely announcing their availability
- Using diverse methods to inform parents and students about student aid and other scholarships that are available and how to apply
More information is available about SEE Forums and a copy of the guide.
Education and Labor Committee Holds Hearing on Effective Teachers
On October 7, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to examine efforts to ensure that an “effective” teacher leads every classroom. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires states to ensure an equitable distribution of highly qualified teachers among schools, including those in “high-need” areas. Despite those provisions, many low-income and rural students are assigned to classrooms with teachers who are teaching subjects outside their areas of expertise. Chairman George Miller (D-Calif) pointed to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the requirements that states must meet to receive important education funds, including working toward the equitable distribution of effective teachers. The Committee intends to hold additional hearings on this subject. See more information on this hearing, including testimony and a webcast of the session.
ED Announces Grants to Improve Teaching in High-Need Schools
On October 6, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the award of $43 million for 28 new five-year Teacher Quality Partnership grants to improve instruction in struggling schools. These grants will be used to reform traditional university teacher preparation and teacher residency programs. Of the grants, nine will focus on reforming traditional university teacher preparation programs, twelve will focus on creating teaching residency programs, and seven will focus on both. The partnerships include high-need school districts, their high-need schools, and institutions of higher education and their colleges or departments of education, arts and sciences. Read more information or a list of grants awarded.
