IEA Newsletter - Dec. 20

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts weekly newsletter for December 20, 2006. The newsletter is published each Wednesday morning to the IEA listserv and is archived on this blog.

Due to the holidays, there will be no newsletter on Wednesday, December 20.

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BREAKING NEWS
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EDUCATION 2.0: THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF SCHOOL SOFTWARE HAS ARRIVED
EMERGENCE OF OPEN TECHNOLOGIES AND OPEN-SOURCE ALTERNATIVES MAKES CUSTOMIZING SCHOOL SOFTWARE A REALITY
Corey Murray, eSchool News, 12/15/06
“Aiming to customize their solutions to meet the individual needs of teachers and students, a growing number of school systems are ushering in a new breed of school software that relies on open technologies--whether it's open-source software on their servers and desktops, or so-called Web 2.0 services available free of charge online. Economics and advancements in technology are fueling this latest trend in school software, proponents of the movement say--but it's also about customization, and the desire to employ a variety of solutions as users see fit.”
Read the article at http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=6739 .

FY 2007 APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS STRETCHES INTO NEXT YEAR
Americans for the Arts
“The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which makes grants to thousands of arts organizations across America, is currently funded at $124.4 million, far less than the $170 million-plus that it received prior to 1996. During 2006, Congress considered appropriations for FY 2007, which began on October 1, but it was unable to make a final decision. Its last day of work was December 8. Despite the failure to complete a bill, there were several positive developments. First, the House of Representatives approved a $5 million increase for the NEA when it considered a funding bill last spring … At least 42 Senators affirmed their support for this increase by cosigning a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. The new Congress will need to decide how to proceed when it convenes in early January. Meanwhile, the NEA is receiving funding at its 2006 level until a further decision is made.”
Learn more at http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=9039346&type=TA .



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REPORTS
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TOUGH CHOICES OR TOUGH TIMES
The Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce is encouraging a dramatic revamping of the U.S. school system. The Commission proposes examinations at the end of 10th grade, with students then staying in school to prepare for a four-year college education or moving to a community college. The bipartisan panelists estimate that this plan could save approximately $60 billion, money that could be use to fund early childhood education and higher teacher salaries.
Read more at:
http://www.skillscommission.org/
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/12/14/school.reform.ap/index.html

INFLUENCE: A STUDY OF THE FACTORS SHAPING EDUCATION POLICY:
BILL GATES, CONGRESS, AND NAEP TOP STUDY OF INFLUENCE
Edweek.org
“The Editorial Projects in Education Research Center’s new study, "Influence: A Study of the Factors Shaping Education Policy," has identified Bill Gates as the most influential person in education policy over the past decade. The study, based on a two-stage survey of education experts from across the country, also identified the United States Congress as the most influential organization in education policy. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was found to be both the most influential research study, and information source of the past decade.”
Read the report at http://www.edweek.org/media/influence_study.pdf .
Learn more about a 12/20 live chat at http://www.edweek.org/rc/articles/2006/12/13/influentials.html

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ADVOCACY
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CONGRESS DEFERS ARTS FUNDING DECISION TO 2007:
AT ISSUE IS A 5 TO 10 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE FOR THE NEA
Americans for the Arts
“The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which makes grants to thousands of arts organizations across America, is currently funded at $124.4 million, far less than the $170 million-plus that it received prior to 1996. During 2006, Congress considered appropriations for FY 2007, which began on October 1, but it was unable to make a final decision. Its last day of work was December 8. Despite the failure to complete a bill, there were several positive developments. First, the House of Representatives approved a $5 million increase for the NEA when it considered a funding bill last spring … At least 42 Senators affirmed their support for this increase by cosigning a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. The new Congress will need to decide how to proceed when it convenes in early January. Meanwhile, the NEA is receiving funding at its 2006 level until a further decision is made.”
Learn more at http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=9039346&type=TA .


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LOOKING BACK AT PAST RESEARCH
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TECHNOLOGY IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS: SEVEN DIMENSIONS FOR GAUGING PROGRESS
Milken Family Foundation, 1998
Though specific technology tools have changed, the guiding principles behind this 1998 report remain useful today. The document explores multiple categories districts can use for gauging progress in technology integration. Requires free registration.
Read the report at http://www.mff.org/publications/publications.taf?page=158


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TEACHING AND LEARNING IDEAS
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ROUND-THE-CLOCK EDUCATION: ’24-7 LEARNING’ PORTAL EXTENDS THE REACH OF FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS
Corey Murray, eSchool News, 6/1/06
Virginia’s Fairfax County schools are utilizing online platforms such as Blackboard to extend the reach of face-to-face classes or offer virtual learning opportunities.
Read more at http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showstory.cfm?ArticleID=6515 .


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FUNDING, GRANTS, AND AWARDS
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MUSIC FOR ALL, AMERICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE SEEK BEST 100 COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION
”For the eighth year in a row, a coalition of leading music and education organizations are searching for communities that exemplify quality music education in America. Is your district destined to become a Best 100 Community for Music Education? Now through January 23, you'll find an online survey form you can use to submit information on behalf of your community.”
Learn more:
http://www.music-for-all.org/news_details.asp?id=94
http://www.amc-music.org


READING RESOURCE PROJECT: LITERACY EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION
”The Reading Resource Project is an ongoing program that runs throughout the year. The program distributes books FREE of charge for Read Across America Day and other literacy programs. Recipients merely pay $.65 per book for shipping, handling, and administrative costs. Reading Resource Project books come in sets of 100 books per set. There will not be more than four copies of the same book in any set. Reading levels are available for Pre-K through Second Grade. Book selection and quantity is dependent upon availability, so there is no guarantee of specific titles. Books are sorted and shipped as close to a project's needs as possible, with regard to reading level and topic.”
Learn more at http://www.lefbooks.org/reading_resource_project/ .

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