Connections | Funding | Policy | International | Strategies | Disabilities | Resources

23rd Annual National
Dropout Prevention Network Conference

“S.T.A.Y.:Systems Together Advancing Youth”

Join Us
In Chicago!

October 9 - 12, 2011

Designed to enhance the leadership skills of all adults who are seeking to strengthen interventions among school, community, and families especially those in at-risk.
Registration Information.
The Conference program will focus on the areas of family involvement, school culture, attendance and truancy, leadership, reenrolling dropouts, community partnerships, funding issues, and curriculum and instruction. Conference Brochure

Reentry Programs
for Out-of-School Youth with Disabilities

NDPC-SD Reports:
Due to the increased interest in recovering youth with disabilities who have dropped out of school, the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities have created a three part series of reports: "Reentry Programs for Out-of-School Youth with Disabilities."

Sound Connections

The NDPC webcast for September will feature Terry Pickeral talking about the School Climate Standards. Our streaming Solutions Webcast will be aired September. 20, at 3:30 PM EDT.

Professional Development Series

Building Authentic Relationships With Youth At Risk
The National Dropout Prevention Center has released a new DVD, which provides all members of a school staff with an approach to connecting with students that has proven successful with all students, especially those hardest to reach. All the tools needed for providing ten sessions of professional development, or combined sessions, are contained on the DVD.

Cracking the Code:

Synchronizing Policy and Practice for Performance-Based Learning is a proposed policy framework, designed to expedite state policy development in performance-based learning.
Full Report from iNACOL.org

The Common Core Standards:

The New U.S. Intended Curriculum A newly entered research study examines how much change the Common Core standards represent for content standards and assessments.

2011 Kids Count Data

This year’s essay, "America’s Children, America’s Challenge: Promoting Opportunity for the Next Generation," explores how kids and families are faring in the wake of the recession and why it’s important to help children reach their full potential and become part of a robust economy and society.
Media Spotlight
Let Freedom Swing explores the relationships between jazz and democracy and features former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Wynton Marsalis discussing how jazz music illustrates the principles of American democracy.

Funding Sources
· U.S. Government : Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange - Oct. 15
· NEA: : Student Organizing and Assistance Resources (SOAR) Grants - Nov. 30
· Kids In Need Foundation: : Kids In Need Teacher Grants
· The National Youth Leadership Council : Project Ignition Grants - Nov. 15
· iOMe : Ask Me About My Future Challenge - Oct. 31, Nov. 21
· NSTA: : Awards for Excellence in Inquiry-based Science Teaching - Oct. 17, Nov. 30, Dec. 1
· NCTM: : Mathematics Course Work Scholarships - Nov. 11
· United Health : HEROES Grant - Oct. 17
· Prudential : Spirit of Community - Nov. 1
· Target : Field Trip Grants - (3 per location)
· Lowe's: : Toolbox for Education Grants - Oct. 14
· NEA: : Power a Bright Future Grants - Sept. 27
· generationOn : Make Your Mark Week - Sept. 19
· International Reading Association : Regie Routman Teacher Recognition Grant - Nov. 15


Policy Updates
· UCLA : Cut-Backs Make it Essential to Unify and Rework Student and Learning and Supports at Schools and Among Families of Schools.
· CBS News : Graduation rates could drop by as much as 20%
· Education Sector : The Road to Autonomy: Can Schools, Districts, and Central Offices Find Their Way?.
· ASCD : Reaching for a Well-Rounded Education Creates Challenges for Educators.
· UCLA : What Do Principals Say about Their Work? Implications for Addressing Barriers to Learning and School Improvement.
· Washington Times : South Dakota saves money with 4-day school weeks.
· UCLA : A Functional View of Enabling Equity of Opportunity.
· Bangor Daily News : LePage takes steps toward 5-year high schools.


International Notes
International Solutions to Preventing Dropouts
Educator Nancy Hoffman looked at the strategies of several different countries to see which programs worked and which did not. She examined other nations belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) and what they were doing to keep "youths left behind" in the classroom.

Effective Strategies
· CASEL - Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning :
School-family partnership strategies to enhance children’s social, emotional, and academic growth: This brief provides educators with strategies to promote children’s social, emotional, and academic development using school-family partnerships.
· Education Week : Teacher-Coaching Boosts Secondary Scores, Study Finds
· Edutopia : How to write effective, driving questions for project based learning
· Education Week : Studies Find Students Learn More by 'Acting Out' Text
· ICSEI : Are Teacher Effects Larger in Small Classes?


Students with Disabilities
· Alliance For Excellent Education : Assessments for Students with Severe Cognitive Disabilities.
· UCLA : Schools and the Challenge of LD and ADHD Misdiagnoses.


Resources
· American Association of School Librarians : 2011 Top 25 websites for teaching and learning
· The Beckman Institute : Bugscope provides free interactive access to powerful microscopes.
· The American Educator : Can Teachers Increase Student's Self-Control?
· SAS Curriculum Pathways : Web-based curriculum resources in all the core disciplines.
· Powerful Learning Practice : Should We Shrink Wrap Our School Libraries?
· ASCD : Free Professional Development Webinars
· TwHistory : Using Twitter to create virtual reenactments of historical events.
· National Park Service : The American Presidents Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary.
 

National Dropout Prevention Center Network
Clemson University | 209 Martin Street | Clemson, SC 29631
864.656.2599 | Fax: 864.656.0136 | ndpc@clemson.edu
Dropout Prevention UPDATE | September 1, 2011 - Vol.11 No.9


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