IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts weekly newsletter for April 11, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday morning to the IEA listserv and is archived here.

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REPORT
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STUDY EYES EFFECT OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Nancy Zuckerbrod, AP Education Writer, in the Boston Globe, 4/5/07
“Going high-tech doesn't lead to higher math and reading scores, according to a federal study. The study on the effectiveness of education technology was released late Wednesday by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, a research arm of the Education Department. The study found achievement scores were no higher in classrooms using reading and math software products than in classrooms without the new products.”
Read the AP/Boston Globe article
Read the report


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ARTS CONFERENCES
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THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP NATIONAL CONFERENCE:
ARTISTRY IN A NEW CENTURY
Minneapolis/St. Paul, 6/7 – 6/9/07
“A new world, a new country, a new audience, new art - the 2007 TCG National Conference turns its attention to creating theatre for today and tomorrow with Artistry in a New Century. The conference will engage master artists and creative thinkers in the quest to craft theatre that resonates in our communities - locally, nationally and globally. The two and a half days of the conference will investigate the creative process, new models of developing work and the artist as a catalyst for social change.”
Learn more

SEE ALSO … MetLife Foundation announcement in the Grants section of this newsletter.


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SUPERVISION OF D.C. SCHOOLS
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DC SCHOOLS TAKEOVER GETS INITIAL APPROVAL
Nikita Stewart & Theola Labbe, Washington Post, 4/4/07
”The D.C. Council granted preliminary approval yesterday for a dramatic shift in power for the city's public schools, giving the mayor control over the budget, key administrative functions and the blueprint for modernizing every dilapidated building in the 55,000-student system …After final approval from the council, which could come as early as April 17, and Congress later this spring, parents could see the first changes in the fall. As part of the new structure, the council would have line-item budget control, and the school board would set academic standards. In one of the biggest departures from the plan … announced in January, the council would have the authority to rescind the mayor's control over the schools if he did not show ‘sufficient progress in education’ within five years.”
Read more

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
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CALL FOR COVER ART AND ARTS-BASED SUBMISSIONS
Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy
“The Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy is positioned at the intersection of curriculum theory, teaching studies, and arts based research. Each issue of the journal features a cover image from an arts based researcher, an art student, or a contemporary artist. Such images can include, but are not limited to visual artworks, documentations of performance artwork, ethno-dramas, musical performances, or stills from videos. The submission process is comprised of four strands:
1) Arts based research accompanied by image(s); …
2) Full manuscripts submitted through the online peer review process that also have a visual component; …
3) Text based forms of arts based research; …
4) Student artwork (K through 12).
Learn more

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RECOGNIZING IMPROVEMENTS IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
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BROAD FOUNDATION NAMES SCHOOL SYSTEM FINALISTS FOR AWARD
Boston Globe/Associated Press, 4/4/07
“Bridgeport, Conn., public schools and four other urban school systems around the nation were named as finalists Wednesday for the Broad Prize for Education, an annual competition with awards totaling $1 million. The award honors school districts making the greatest progress in raising student achievement.” The other four finalists are the Long Beach, Calif., Unified School District, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, New York City Department of Education and Northside Independent School District in northwest San Antonio. The winner will be announced on Sept. 18 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The winning district will receive $500,000 in scholarships for graduating seniors and each of the four other finalist districts will receive $125,000 in scholarships.”
Read more

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RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS
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PBS DEBUTS COMPREHENSIVE NEW ONLINE PORTAL FOR TEACHERS
eSchool News, 4/1/07
“PBS has formally launched a comprehensive new web site for K-12 educators, called ‘PBS Teachers’ … [T]he site [includes] thousands of free lesson plans, teacher professional development opportunities, videos, blogs, and more.”
Read more of the eSchool News preview
Visit the PBS Teachers site

THE BLUES CLASSROOM
PBS.org and the Experience Music Project
A series of resources focusing on the blues as an art form, as well as well-known blues musicians.
Learn more

GETTING TO KNOW WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
PBS Teachers
“Who was William Shakespeare and why do we still study his works? These are questions that students of all ages ask when presented with the prospect of studying about this famous bard. In order to better understand why we study the works of this famous playwright, students should become acquainted with the man who penned some of the most used quotes in all of history!”
View the entire lesson plan


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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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METLIFE FOUNDATION PARTNERS IN ARTS EDUCATION PROJECT
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts and MetLife Foundation
Announcing “the renewal of the MetLife Foundation Partners in Arts Education Project. The project’s goal is to improve teaching and learning in the arts by advancing high-quality, sustainable partnerships between community-based arts education organizations and public schools. In 2007, the project will:
-- Award grants of up to $25,000 to support exemplary CSA-public school partnerships during the 2007/2008 school year. The application deadline is May 25, 2007.
-- Distribute Profiles in Excellence, case studies of exemplary arts education partnerships, and
-- Present a two-day arts education partnership training in conjunction with the 2007 Conference for Community Arts Education in Los Angeles, 11/9 & 11/10.
Learn more about the grant application guidelines
Learn more about the November conference

GRANTS FOR CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE PROJECTS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT CHILDREN
Mattel and the Mattel Children’s Foundation
“Mattel and the Mattel Children's Foundation are pleased to continue for the third year our Domestic Grantmaking Program. Through this effort, unsolicited applications for funds from organizations benefiting children in need are accepted, pending the eligibility requirements and guidelines listed below. Charitable organizations that demonstrate that they directly serve children in need may be eligible for grants of $5,000 up to $20,000. Funds may be applied to programs or general operating costs.” 501(c)3 organizations are eligible; schools and school districts are not. Deadline: 6/15/07
Learn more

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