PEN Weekly NewsBlast for February 25, 2005
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Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 00:03:32 -0800
Subject: PEN Weekly NewsBlast for February 25, 2005
Public Education Network Weekly NewsBlast
"Public Involvement. Public Education. Public Benefit."
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REPORT FAULTS BUSH INITIATIVE ON EDUCATION
Concluding a yearlong study on the effectiveness of President Bush's
sweeping education law, No Child Left Behind, a bipartisan panel of
lawmakers drawn from many states pronounced it a flawed, convoluted and
unconstitutional education reform initiative that had usurped state and
local control of public schools. The report, based on hearings in six
cities, praised the law's goal of ending the gap in scholastic achievement
between white and minority students. But most of the 77-page report, which
the Education Department rebutted, was devoted to a detailed inventory and
discussion of its flaws. It said the law's accountability system, which
punishes schools whose students fail to improve steadily on standardized
tests, undermined school improvement efforts already under way in many
states and relied on the wrong indicators. The report said that the law's
rules for educating disabled students conflicted with another federal law,
and that it presented bureaucratic requirements that failed to recognize
the tapestry of educational challenges faced by teachers in the nation's
15,000 school districts. Several education experts said the panel had
accurately captured the views of thousands of state lawmakers, and local
educators, reports Sam Dillon. If that is so, the report suggests that the
Bush administration could face continuing friction with states and school
districts as the Department of Education seeks to carry out the law in
coming months. Several groups that strongly support the federal law took
issue with the report.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/24/education/24child.html
RETHINKING A BAD LAW
Nel Noddings has a simple thesis: The No Child Left Behind Act is a bad
law, and a bad law is not made better by fully funding it. In this
Education Week commentary she attempts to make a convincing argument to
support that thesis. She makes six main points: (1) In many states the
cost is thought to be so high that it would be better to reject federal
funds than to accept them; (2) The law employs a view of motivation that
many in education find objectionable. As educators, we would not use
threats, punishments, and pernicious comparisons to "motivate" our
students. But that is how the No Child Left Behind law treats the school
establishment; (3) The high-stakes testing associated with the law seems
to be demoralizing teachers, students, and administrators; (4) The
curriculum, especially for poor and minority students, seems to have been
gutted. Wealthier kids, in schools that don't have to worry so much about
test scores, may still enjoy arts, music, drama, projects, and critical
conversation. But poor kids are spending far too much time bent over
worksheets and test-prep materials; (5) If we really wanted to help poor,
inner-city kids, we would identify the problem and muster massive
resources to solve it: provide money to renovate crumbling buildings, add
clinics (especially dental and vision) to school campuses, provide day
care for infants and small children, recruit the finest teachers with
significantly higher pay, and even provide boarding facilities for
homeless children and those caught in family emergencies; and (6) Reports
suggest that cheating has increased at every level, and administrators are
busily seeking loopholes, using triage techniques, moving kids around and
reclassifying them, playing with data -- all to meet the letter of a law
whose actual requirements cannot reasonably be met. Noddings=92 conclusion
is that we should not waste more valuable resources -- human and monetary
-- tinkering with this law. It is a bad law and should be repealed.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/02/23/24noddings.h24.html
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZERS
Whether you love them, hate them, or just aren't sure what to think about
charter schools, chances are your district will at some time be called
upon to authorize one. After all, local districts are far and away the
most numerous charter school authorizers -- and perhaps the most
successful ones as well. In late 2004, the U.S. Department of Education
released a report comparing the performance of charter schools with that
of regular public schools. One significant finding leaped out for school
districts: The students enrolled in charters authorized by the public
school district performed better than those authorized by some other
entity. As this finding suggests, not only can successful charter schools
offer lessons to the regular public schools, but the benefits are likely
to be reciprocal. One important lesson from the first decade of charter
schools, then, is that there is nothing magical about the term "charter."
Just as with traditional public schools, there are high-performing charter
schools, and there are others that have failed to fulfill their promises.
Similarly, charter school accountability does not happen automatically. It
requires clear expectations, good information about performance, and
coherent, merit-based decision-making. For school district authorizers to
fulfill their responsibilities for overseeing charter schools, they need
an organizational structure to work from, along with the human and
financial resources necessary to carry out their core responsibilities
effectively. In this article, Karla Schultz and William Haft interview a
few district leaders and school boards associations who offer their
experiences and advice to help school board leaders through the joys and
challenges of chartering.
http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/35400/35392.pdf
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZERS
Whether you love them, hate them, or just aren't sure what to think about
charter schools, chances are your district will at some time be called
upon to authorize one. After all, local districts are far and away the
most numerous charter school authorizers -- and perhaps the most
successful ones as well. In late 2004, the U.S. Department of Education
released a report comparing the performance of charter schools with that
of regular public schools. One significant finding leaped out for school
districts: The students enrolled in charters authorized by the public
school district performed better than those authorized by some other
entity. As this finding suggests, not only can successful charter schools
offer lessons to the regular public schools, but the benefits are likely
to be reciprocal. One important lesson from the first decade of charter
schools, then, is that there is nothing magical about the term "charter."
Just as with traditional public schools, there are high-performing charter
schools, and there are others that have failed to fulfill their promises.
Similarly, charter school accountability does not happen automatically. It
requires clear expectations, good information about performance, and
coherent, merit-based decision-making. For school district authorizers to
fulfill their responsibilities for overseeing charter schools, they need
an organizational structure to work from, along with the human and
financial resources necessary to carry out their core responsibilities
effectively. In this article, Karla Schultz and William Haft interview a
few district leaders and school boards associations who offer their
experiences and advice to help school board leaders through the joys and
challenges of chartering.
http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/35400/35392.pdf
EDUCATION FINANCE: MORE MONEY OR DIFFERENT SPENDING CHOICES?
Does it always take more money to achieve educational objectives? Or is it
possible to make different spending choices with the money we now have?
This paper by Stacy Becker explores spending choices. It asks: Must there
be more money to elevate instructional spending? Or is it possible to make
choices that spend more on instruction, while maintaining current levels
of overall spending? This is especially important given the emerging
discussions about "adequacy" that hold that certain minimum thresholds of
money are necessary to meet higher learning standards. But, what if it=92s
possible to meet those higher expectations through different spending
choices instead of simply adding more money?
http://www.educationevolving.org/pdf/Education_Finance.pdf
SEPARATE & UNEQUAL SCHOOLS
The recent funding ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
returns us to 1964 when Malcolm X observed that 10 years after the Supreme
Court decision outlawing segregated schools, the federal government had
yet to enforce it. He asked, "If the federal government cannot enforce the
law of the highest court of the land when it comes to nothing but equal
rights to education for African-Americans, how can anyone be so naive to
think all the additional laws brought into being by the Civil Rights Bill
will be enforced?" It also takes us to 1963, when Martin Luther King Jr.
wrote, "The Negro had been an object of sympathy and wore the scars of
deep grievances, but the nation had come to count on him as a creature who
could quietly endure, silently suffer, and patiently wait." No one can be
naive any longer, writes Derrick Z. Jackson. A half-century after Brown,
students of low-income school districts in Massachusetts are the creatures
told to patiently wait. The students sued for faster funding to catch up
to wealthier districts. Even though SJC Chief Justice Margaret Marshall
agreed that "sharp disparities" still persist, the state won her over with
the $30 billion it was forced to spend on ed reform. She said, "I cannot
conclude that the Commonwealth currently is not meeting its constitutional
charge." Given the wealth of Massachusetts, the conclusion was a stake
through the ideal of equal rights. It was particularly stunning since the
same court that legalized gay marriage joined forces with the conservative
education movement to make it official that disparity is the expected
American condition. The victims are no longer just "the Negro" of King's
and Malcolm's day. The plaintiffs represented a multicultural outpouring
of people who see that neglect of schools in black neighborhoods was just
a canary. Today, all but the youth in the toniest suburbs are at risk.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/02/18/=
separate_and_unequal_schools/
ONE-THIRD OF A NATION: AMERICA=92S ESCALATING HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT CRISIS
As Congress, governors, and state education officials turn their attention
now to high school reform, a new report from ETS warns that little is
being done to address rising dropout rates, declining earnings for
dropouts in the job market, and reduced public investments in effective
second-chance efforts. Issued by ETS=92s Policy Information Center, the
report tracks dwindling high school completion rates throughout the 1990s,
which persist today. The report also found clear evidence that more
students are dropping out earlier, between ninth and tenth grades. Coupled
with the finding of too few counselors and a steep decline in federal
investment, from about $15 billion in the late 1970s to about $3 billion
today, the outlook is not good. "This is a story of losing ground," writes
author Paul Barton. "At the same time that the dropout rate is increasing
and out-of-school education and training opportunities are dwindling, the
economic status of young dropouts has been in a free fall since the late
1970s. Employment and earnings prospects have declined and even for those
who work full time, earnings have dropped steadily to averages around the
poverty line for a family with children."
http://www.ets.org/research/pic/onethird.pdf
EDUCATION NOT A PRIORITY FOR MANY OF THE HALF MILLION U.S. FOSTER KIDS
As a group, foster kids test far behind their peers, and are more likely
to drop out, repeat grades, be in special-ed classes, and be suspended or
expelled. And education has often been a low priority for child-welfare
agencies, most of which are concerned more with their children's safety
and finding them placement. But education, some are starting to realize,
may be almost as fundamental a goal, especially for older kids who are
likely never to find a permanent home. When kids age out of the system,
college, a high-school diploma, or basic job skills can mean the
difference between achieving self-sufficiency and returning to a cycle of
disadvantage. Some of the reasons many foster children struggle in school
are fairly obvious, reports Amanda Paulson. Multiple moves among homes --
and schools -- are common, especially in the children's first few years in
foster care. Switching schools can mean lost records and credits,
incorrect placements, and sometimes weeks or months out of school
altogether, on top of the disorientation that can come with a new
environment. Communication is another problem area. Between foster
parents, caseworkers, educational advocates, and school personnel, it's
not always clear who's supposed to do or tell what to whom. Some kids who
act up for a few weeks get classified with chronic behavior disorders,
when the school has no clue they've just been taken from their parents.
Caseworkers often don't know how their wards are doing in school, or what
special services they may be eligible for. Some children are removed from
a school with no notice, when a week or two more might have made a huge
difference for important tests or credits.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0222/p15s01-legn.htm
SIX WAYS TO MEET ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS (AYP)
As states ramp up to meet the 100 percent proficiency rates required by
law by the year 2014, educators will have to deal with an ever-increasing
number of ways they can fail AYP. Allan Olson, executive director and
president of Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), thinks things are
looking better today because schools are learning how to comply with the
requirements of NCLB, cleaning up their data, and getting a more accurate
view of what kids are achieving. But Olson notes that the federal ramp-up
to 100 percent compliance is very steep, and warns that many states chose
to set the bar relatively low in the initial years in order not to
overwhelm schools. "It's going to be like a balloon payment, and lots of
schools are going to run out of options in the later years," he says. Even
high-achieving schools that have ironed out nearly all the kinks will have
to dig deeper to ensure they meet the growing demands of AYP. What follows
is a number of ways in which schools are already getting those AYP numbers
up. From technology implementations to personnel shuffles, Pamela Wheaton
Schorr outlines six possible strategies for helping districts meet AYP.
http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/feb05/articles.asp?article=3Dgrade
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NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Teachers/womenmonth.html
SPECIAL EDITION
Women In Science
Changing Girls' Attitudes About Computers
Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (2000)
HERSTORIES Classroom Project
Best Online Resources For Women and Minorities in Science and Technolgy
Computer Wonder Women
What you can do to help GRRLS get into technology!
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Teachers/womenspecialedition.html
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EIGHT ELEMENTS FOR SUPERINTENDENTS WHO WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Oxford Thesaurus describes "resiliency" with these words: elasticity,
flexibility, life, spring, stretch, tenacity, rigor. Why would anyone want
to be all of these things? And what does it take to do so? Enter the
superintendent who wants to make a lasting difference. Today=92s
superintendency calls on deep reserves from leaders who understand and
seek to practice fundamental tenets of what Michael Fullan calls "system
thinkers in action." Such leaders simultaneously understand the short term
and the long term. They think and act with the big picture in mind. As the
bedrock of their existence, leaders need to place their actions in the
context of promoting greater sustainability. The eight elements of
sustainability constitute the agenda for the superintendent who wants to
make a difference and has the resolve and energy to keep going: (1) Public
service with moral purpose; (2) Change the entire context within which
people work; (3) Strengthen peer relations across schools; (4) Increase
the capacity of schools to engage in self-review; (5) Continuous
improvement, adaptation and collective problem solving in the face of
complex challenges; (6) Dual commitment to short-term and long-term
results; (7) Taking the energy, additional time, and ingenuity required
for the next breakthrough; and (8) Developing other leaders in the
district.
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2005_02/fullan.htm
DOING SCHOOL CHOICE RIGHT
How can communities encourage the development of good school alternatives
harnessed to solid public oversight? Do charter or voucher schools face
particular accountability challenges? What do parents, particularly poor
parents, need if they are to make sound choices? How do advocates of more
school choice deal with the politics surrounding the issue and obtain all
the funds to which they are entitled? These questions lie at the heart of
a new report on a two-day Brookings Institution seminar that drew together
some 100 parents, researchers, and community leaders in August 2004 and
asked them to explore the practical challenges they experienced in
creating and implementing school choice programs. The report, "Doing
School Choice Right," is available from the University of Washington=92s
Center on Reinventing Public Education at:
http://www.crpe.org/hot/introDSCR.shtml
FIGHTING THE SCHOOL BUS BLUES
In West Virginia and across the country, rural communities are fighting
the supersizing of public schools, writes Peter Slavin. To reach Webster
County High School, Monica Shaffer must travel on two buses for close to
90 minutes along a route marked by switchbacks up a treacherous mountain.
One bus is always full, with students often forced to ride three to a
seat. "It=92s horrible, but we have to cope with it," says the senior. She
pities those who don't have friends to sit with. Marty Strange cites two
factors fueling school consolidation in rural America today: declines in
population and school enrollment, as well as a shrinking tax base, which
leads politicians to argue for consolidation as a way to save money. The
drive to combine rural schools, which began in the 1920=92s, is promoted to
the public chiefly on the grounds that it improves education. Big schools
are supposed to mean a richer curriculum, better qualified teachers,
specialized courses, school theaters and sophisticated science labs --
promises that in some states have remained largely unkept. Furthermore,
small-town America has changed drastically in the last half-century. Years
ago, merging schools often made sense both academically and from a
transportation standpoint. Rural areas were more densely populated, so
children didn't have to travel so far to school -- nor could they, since
many kids had to walk. And in the past, local officials made voluntary,
case-by-case decisions about school closures. Nowadays they are usually
forced on localities and driven largely by state policy, reflecting
pressures on public finances. So resistance to consolidation comes as no
surprise. According to a Rural Trust study, schools are a mainstay of
small-town life, providing a vital source of jobs and purchasing power and
often doubling as community and cultural centers. Losing a school, which
makes it much harder to attract young families, can kill a community, says
Rachel Thompson, president of Rural Trust. Surprisingly, schools in
roughly half of the nation=92s cities are moving in the opposite direction
from consolidation.
http://www.fordfound.org/publications/ff_report/view_ff_report_detail.cfm?re=
port_index=3D547
PACK A LUNCH: SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT
A new waste-free lunch pamphlet, "The Waste-free Lunchbox," is available
to the general public. The downloadable pamphlet provides parents,
teachers, school administrators, and others with essential waste-free
lunch information. According to the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation, a child packing a disposable lunch to school
will leave behind approximately 67 pounds of waste per school year. That
equates to 1.2 billion pounds of annual lunch waste for the more than
64,000 U.S. public elementary schools alone! As landfills across North
America reach capacity, new landfills are created farther from where the
trash is generated, leading to higher waste disposal fees, increased truck
traffic and fossil fuel use, more pollution, and greater wear and tear on
roads. To reduce the amount of waste headed for the landfill, schools have
started implementing waste-free lunch programs aimed not only at reducing
landfill waste, but also at teaching children the importance of resource
conservation and helping schools save money by reducing their waste
hauling fees.
http://www.wastefreelunches.org/
ALMOST A QUARTER OF STUDENTS CHRONICALLY TRUANT IN NATION=92S CAPITAL
Nearly one out of every four D.C. public school students was chronically
truant last year, reports Jim McElhatton. The D.C. public school system
had a 23.46 percent truancy rate during the 2003-04 school year, meaning
that more than 15,000 of its about 65,000 students were absent without an
excuse at least 15 days during the year, according to statistics that
school officials have submitted to the federal government. The District
uses a different computation for truancy than neighboring jurisdictions;
nonetheless, its truancy rate far exceeds that of Prince George's County
(1.8 percent), Fairfax County (0.6 percent) and Montgomery County (0.9
percent). The District's truancy rate is more than four times the national
average of 3 percent to 5 percent, said Ken Seeley, president of the
National Center for School Engagement, which is funded by the U.S.
Department of Justice. "Attendance and truancy are your first indicators
that a child is going to drop out of school," said Jay Smink, executive
director of the National Dropout Prevention Center, a research group. "If
you are really serious about improving your graduation rates or
achievement levels, you had better get the child in school first."
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20050214-104619-1543r.htm
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS JUGGLING JOBS & SCHOOL
High school seniors aren't necessarily coasting toward graduation,
according to a new study that suggests more have jobs, often to buy the
things they want. More than 70% of the employed students in the study
worked at typical teen jobs such as in restaurants and fast-food places,
and as sales clerks in stores. The effects of high school students working
part-time has been the subject of much debate, reports Sharon Jayson.
University of Minnesota researchers found in 2003 that high school
students who work 20 hours a week or less reap benefits including
increased confidence, improved time-management skills and enhanced
academic success. Many studies have shown that working more than 20 hours
a week can hamper academic achievement.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-02-21-highschool-work_x.htm
|---------------GRANT AND FUNDING INFORMATION--------------|
"MetLife Bridge Builders Grants"
The National Association of Secondary School Principals is inviting
proposals from public middle level and high schools serving large numbers
of low-income students and underrepresented minorities (greater than 40%
of student body) to apply for a grant to implement a special initiative
aimed at strengthening ties between their schools and their students=92
neighborhoods and communities. Each grant is $5,000. Twenty-five schools
will be selected to receive a grant. Five exemplary programs will be
highlighted at the 2007 NASSP National Convention. Deadline for
submission is April 16, 2005. For more information, click on:
http://www.principals.org/s_nassp/sec.asp?CID=3D568&DID=3D48228
"New Leaders for New Schools"
New Leaders for New Schools is a national organization fostering high
levels of academic achievement for all children by attracting, preparing
and supporting the next generation of outstanding leaders for our nation=92s
urban public schools. They are currently accepting applications for
candidates who want to become urban public school principals. While New
Leaders are a very diverse group, they all have a few things in common: a
record of success in leading adults, a strong knowledge of teaching and
learning, a relentless drive to lead an excellent urban school and most
importantly an unyielding belief in the potential of all children to
achieve academically at high levels. They are now recruiting school
leaders in Baltimore, Maryland, in addition to five other cities =AD
California=92s Bay Area, Chicago, Memphis, New York City, and Washington,
DC. Final application deadline is March 15, 2005. Submit an application or
learn more at:
http://www.nlns.org/
"Coming Up Taller Awards"
The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) is
inviting nominations for its 2005 Coming Up Taller Awards. Offered in
partnership with IMLS, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the
National Endowment for the Humanities, the Coming Up Taller Awards
recognize the accomplishments of after-school and out-of-school programs
and activities across the country. The $10,000 Coming Up Taller Awards
assist organizations, further knowledge, and encourage development of
future programs. Nominations must be postmarked by March 24, 2005.
http://www.cominguptaller.org/
"First Amendment Schools"
In May, First Amendment Schools will select five Project Schools for the
2005-2006 school year. Each Project School will receive a $10,000 grant,
subject to review and renewal in August 2006 and 2007. Your school may
apply individually, or school pathways -- i.e. one high school, one feeder
middle school, and one feeder elementary school -- may apply for a joint
grant. Additionally, schools with different multiyear configurations may
apply. The application, completed by a broad group of stakeholders, is due
April 29, 2005.
http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/news/event.aspx?id=3D14866
"P. Buckley Moss Foundation Arts Grant Program"
This effort recognizes new or evolving programs that integrate the arts
into educational programming, in order to aid and support teachers who
wish to establish an effective learning tool using the arts in teaching
children with learning disabilities and other special needs. Maximum
Award: $1,000. Eligibility: K=AD12. Deadline: March
01, 2005.
http://www.mossfoundation.org/images/2005_grant_application.pdf
"National Education Association Grants"
These NEA grants provide opportunities for teachers, education support
professionals, and higher education faculty and staff to engage in
high-quality professional development and lead their colleagues in
professional growth. Grants also fund project-based learning and
break-the-mold innovations that significantly improve achievement for
underserved students. Awards for Learning & Leadership are $2,000 for
individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study. Awards for
Innovation Grants are $5,000. Applicants must be practicing U.S. public
school teachers in grades K=AD12, public school education support
professionals, or faculty and staff at public higher education
institutions. Applications may be submitted at any time.
http://www.nfie.org/programs/grantguides.htm
"Nike Jordan Fundamentals"
This program is designed to benefit, recognize and reward teachers in
underprivileged schools who strive beyond challenges and limited resources
to achieve excellence through instructional creativity, innovative
teaching and high learning expectation for students. Maximum Award:
$2,500. Eligibility: Grades 1-12. Deadline: June 15, 2005.
http://www.nike.com/nikebiz/nikebiz.jhtml?page=3D26&item=3Djordan
"The ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program"
This awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in
education through monetary awards. Maximum Award: $25,000 to Grand Prize
Winner. Applicants must be employed by an accredited K-12 public or
private school, and be full-time educators, teachers, principals,
paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects
that improve student learning. Deadline: April 30, 2005.
http://www.ing.com/unsungheroes
"Dollar General Literacy Foundation"
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports non-profit organizations
within Dollar General=92s market area that are established for public use
and have an active 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Service
Code. Eligible organizations within the Dollar General market area must be
committed to increasing the functional literacy of adults or families and
must provide direct literacy services within their community. The Dollar
General Literacy Foundation accepts proposals from non-profit literacy
providers on an annual basis. The Foundation's next submission deadline is
April 8, 2005. Grants will be announced May 6, 2005.
http://www.dollargeneral.com/community/dgliteracy.aspx
"Teacher Loan Forgiveness"
The Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act, signed into law last year, authorizes
up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness for eligible, highly qualified math,
science and special education teachers. To be eligible, teachers (with no
outstanding loan balances before Oct.1, 1998, and who have borrowed before
Oct. 1, 2005) must be highly qualified, as defined by the No Child Left
Behind Act; must have taught full-time, for five consecutive years, in a
Title I school; and must have taught secondary math or science or
elementary or secondary special education to students with disabilities.
For more information, visit:
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0414.html
"Schools as Centers of Community: A National Search for Excellence"
Public Education Network is a proud partner in KnowledgeWorks Foundation=92s
2005 "Schools as Centers of Community: A National Search for Excellence."
Each year KnowledgeWorks Foundation and its partners search across the
country for excellent schools that successfully model the growing trend to
build schools as centers of community. The top selected school, chosen by
a panel of national experts, receives the "Richard W. Riley Award for
Excellence" and a $5,000 grant. The panel also selects several schools
with innovative design elements and initiatives to be members of the
"Schools as Centers of Community Honor Society" and be part of the
National Search website. Submissions will be accepted from March 1 through
June 24, 2005. For details, visit:
http://www.nationalschoolsearch.org/
"Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes"
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2005
awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have shown
leadership and courage in public service to people and our planet. Each
year, ten national winners each receive $2,000 to support their service
work or higher education. Nomination deadline is April 30. For more
information and to nominate, visit:
http://www.barronprize.org/
"Show Me the Money: Tips & Resources for Successful Grant Writing"
Many educators have found that outside funding, in the form of grants,
allows them to provide their students with educational experiences and
materials their own districts can't afford. Learn how they get those
grants -- and how you can get one too. Included: Practical tips to help
first-time grant writers get the grants they need.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev039.shtml
"Department of Education Forecast of Funding"
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which
the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications
for new awards for FY 2005 and provides actual or estimated deadline dates
for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in
the form of charts -- organized according to the Department's principal
program offices -- and includes previously announced programs and
competitions, as well as those planned for announcement at a later date.
Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official application
notice of the Department of Education. They expect to provide regular
updates to this document.
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
"Information on Grants for School Health Programs & Services"
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/funding/index.htm
"Grantionary"
The Grantionary is a list of grant-related terms and their definitions.
http://www.eduplace.com/grants/help/grantionary.html
"GrantsAlert"
GrantsAlert is a website that helps nonprofits, especially those involved
in education, secure the funds they need to continue their important work.
http://www.grantsalert.com/
"Grant Writing Tips"
SchoolGrants has compiled an excellent set of grant writing tips for those
that need help in developing grant proposals.
http://www.schoolgrants.org/tips.htm
"FastWEB"
FastWEB is the largest online scholarship search available, with 600,000
scholarships representing over one billion in scholarship dollars. It
provides students with accurate, regularly updated information on
scholarships, grants, and fellowships suited to their goals and
qualifications, all at no cost to the student. Students should be advised
that FastWEB collects and sells student information (such as name,
address, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, and country of
citizenship) collected through their site.
http://www.fastweb.com/
"Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)"
More than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group in 1997 to make
hundreds of federally supported teaching and learning resources easier to
find. The result of that work is the FREE website.
http://www.ed.gov/free/
"eSchool News School Funding Center"
Information on up-to-the-minute grant programs, funding sources, and
technology funding.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/funding/
"Philanthropy News Digest"
Philanthropy News Digest, a weekly news service of the Foundation Center,
is a compendium, in digest form, of philanthropy-related articles and
features culled from print and electronic media outlets nationwide.
http://fdncenter.org/pnd/
"School Grants"
A collection of resources and tips to help K-12 educators apply for and
obtain special grants for a variety of projects.
http://www.schoolgrants.org
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Most Americans who are eligible to vote, don't. ...Nonvoting is, many
say, a national disgrace. The United States is practically first among
world democracies in voter apathy... In a totalitarian state, voting is a
distant dream; in a democracy, it is a civic obligation. But that still
leaves the United States with low voter turnout, for which we have no
ready explanation."
-Gene Weingarten (journalist), "None of the Above" from The Washington
Post Magazine, October 21, 2004
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The PEN Weekly NewsBlast is a free e-mail newsletter featuring school
reform and school fundraising resources. The PEN NewsBlast is the property
of the Public Education Network, a national association of 90 local
education funds working to improve public school quality in low-income
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There are currently 47,460 subscribers to the PEN Weekly NewsBlast. Please
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Other related posts:
- » PEN Weekly NewsBlast for February 25, 2005
