Sound Connections

Our November Solutions to the Dropout Crisis webcast features Alternative Education. Listen to the archived program.

The Alliance for Excellent Education presents a free webinar based upon Expanded Learning Opportunities: A More Comprehensive Approach to Preparing High School Students for College and a Career. Monday, December 12, 2011, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Full Issue Brief

Higher achievement not only provides youth with a rigorous afterschool and summer academic experience, but also targets youth as they transition from elementary to middle school. December 6, 1:00 pm - The Impact of Higher Achievement’s Year-Round Out-of-School Time Program on Academic Outcomes. Register now

Media Spotlight

PBS looks at how the struggle to regain economic footing is connected to the problems in the schools of Reading, Pennsylvania.

Sarah Pyle Academy for Academic Intensity wins the NDPC/N’s coveted Crystal Star Award

That’s My People is a video Public Service Announcement written, performed and filmed by Native Youth in Santa Fe, NM. The production represents many voices and vocalizes issues tribal youth across all regions identified as important to address in their communities.

Funding Sources

· New Search Tool helps users find federal grants to fund youth programs
· Luther I. Replogle Foundation: Grants for Youth Services Costas Awards - Feb 15
· The Fund for Teachers - Deadlines vary by state.
· The Captain Planet Foundation - Jan 15
· Sodexo Youth Grants - Jan. 17
· 2012 AmeriCorps Grants - Jan 18
· The Big Read funds 75 grants up to $20,000 for schools, libraries and nonprofits - Feb 1
· The Earthwatch Institute fellowships for hands-on learning with leading scientists - Feb 13
· 12 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards of $10,000 each. - Jan. 31

Policy Updates

From UCLA Center, "Not Another Team!" School Improvement Infrastructure Viewed through the Lens of Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching. This brief underscores the need to rethink the proliferation of school teams, work groups, and committees.

The following briefs, also from UCLA, outline innovative and transformative changes related to addressing factors interfering with student learning and performance:
· Reauthorization: Moving from a Two- to a Three-component Approach
· Establishing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports at a School
· District Superintendents and the School Improvement Problem of Addressing Barriers to Learning

International

Teaching and Learning Resources for the Global Classroom. ASCD's Willona Sloan shares ideas for breaking down geographical boundaries in any classroom.

Science Connects is a UK-wide program working with "volunteers from a wide range of disciplines, such as forensic science, geology, mechanical engineering, parasitology...etc. who want to share their enthusiasm for their careers to encourage pupils to take an interest in STEM subjects."

Effective Strategies

Systemic Renewal
· The National High School Center announces the release of a new Early Warning System Middle Grades (EWS MG) Tool and an enhanced Early Warning System High School (EWS HS) Tool. Both are free. Accompanying webinars: How to Use the Early Warning System Middle Grades and High School Tools to Keep Students On Track for Graduation ( December 7, 2011, 3:00 - 4:00 pm ET. Registration closes Dec. 5 ) and Stories From the Field: Putting Early Warning Systems into Practice (December 14, 2011, 3:00 - 4:00. Registration closes Dec. 12 ).

· An archived webinar on Strengthening School Improvement by Developing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching hosted by AASA, Scholastic and UCLA briefly emphasizes why a system of learning supports is imperative for schools to succeed and introduces frameworks that forward-thinking states and districts are using to implement such a system.

Individualized Instruction
Six key research-based tips are featured in this guide, Six Tips for Brain-Based Learning, from neuroscientists, psychologists, and educators on how you can apply brain-based learning techniques in your classroom.

Service-Learning
The International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education is hosting its 3rd Annual International Conference at Duke University June 21-23, 2012.

These are some of the free webinars presented by the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse on service-learning coming soon:
· Service-Learning in Online Courses - Tues., Dec. 6, 2:00 - 3:30 pm EST
· State Policies for Service-Learning: Opportunities and Obstacles - Tues., Dec. 6, 4:00-5:00 pm EST
· Getting Started in Service-Learning - Wed., Dec. 7, 6:00 - 7:00 pm EST
· Designing Academically Rigorous Service-Learning - Tues., Dec. 13, 3:00 - 4:00 pm EST

Early Childhood
A new study, Starting Out Right: Pre-K and Kindergarten, by Center for Public Education (CPE), has a clear message: If you want to maximize the chances of strong 3rd grade reading results, preschool programs in combination with full-day kindergarten are the way to go. But if that's not possible, it's better to go with pre-K and half-day kindergarten than relying solely on all-day kindergarten.

Students with Disabilities

Bookshare offers students with disabilities new access to books adapted into formats that meet the needs of students with visual impairments or certain learning disabilities.

Abstract and link to full report by the California Dropout Research Project that examines The High School Dropout Dilemma and Special Education Students.

Resources & Tools

✓ Access scores of free printables from Education World’s tools and templates collection.
✓ When students feel safe and emotionally healthy in school, achievement increases. Learn more with resources from Education World’s new School Climate archive.
✓ NIAAA announces "Teen Alcohol Risk Screening Guide".
✓ Over the past few years, staff members at Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Biological Sciences and the Office of Technology for Education have created an impressive suite of multimedia course materials to assist science instructors.
✓ Workforce Development. An online resource developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to help students explore various career paths.
✓ Native American Lesson: Yours and My Trail of Tears. Excellent lesson and example of how to weave student engagement into a lesson.


The National Dropout Prevention Center on Facebook.