FSCA NEWS

U.S. LEGISLATORS MOVE TO BAN SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES A bill introduced by Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) that aims to restrict social networking Web sites in schools and libraries passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 410-15. The Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) would require organizations that receive funds under the federal E-Rate program to install Internet filters that would block access to sites such as Facebook and MySpace. The FCC would be responsible for defining what sites would be covered by the law.

According to the American Library Association (ALA), about two-thirds of U.S. libraries would be subject to the law. Supporters of the legislation said that children who use such Web sites become targets of sexual predators. Opponents of the law said it is overly broad and would prevent computer users from accessing a number of unrelated sites, such as Amazon, blogs, wikis, and even news sites. Leslie Burger, president of the ALA, said, "DOPA is redundant and unnecessary legislation," noting that the Children's Internet Protection Act already requires institutions to block Web content considered harmful to children. The bill now goes to the Senate.

BBC, 31 July 2006

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5230506.stm

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 6:10 PM

Florida Counseling for Future Education Handbook

The Handbook is prepared annually in response to needs expressed by school counselors for a simple, easy to understand, but comprehensive reference to postsecondary education in Florida. Counselors use this resource in advising students about educational opportunities beyond high school. Hard copies are no longer distributed. The Handbook is produced by the Office of Articulation at the Department of Education and provided to, and maintained by, FACTS.org

• 2006 Edition (updated January 31, 2006)
  

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:55 PM

Research Grants Sponsor: Spencer Foundation

SYNOPSIS:

Support is available for research projects requiring more than
$40,000. Projects originate from research ideas initiated in the
field by scholars and other researchers.

Deadline(s):
Established Date: 11/12/1980
Follow-Up Date: 08/01/2007
Review Date: 07/25/2006
Contact: Annie Brinkman, Program Administrator
Address: 625 N. Michigan Avenue
Suite 1600
Chicago, IL 60611
U.S.A.
E-mail: abrinkman@spencer.org

Program URL: http://www.spencer.org/programs/grants/research_grants.htm
http://www.spencer.org/programs/grants/research_grants.htm
Tel: 312-274-6511
Fax: 312-337-0282
Deadline Ind: Receipt
Deadline Open: Yes
DEADLINE NOTE
Preliminary proposals are accepted at any time. Full applications
will be invited.
Award Type(s): Research Grants/R & D

The sponsor provides support for research projects requiring more
than $40,000. Projects originate from research ideas initiated in the
field by scholars and other researchers. The sponsor will accept
preliminary proposals that fit within one or more of four areas of
inquiry: The Relation between Education and Social Opportunity;
Organizational Learning in Schools, School Systems, and Higher
Education Institutions; Teaching, Learning, and Instructional
Resources; and Purposes and Values of Education.

ELIGIBILITY
Principal Investigators applying for a Research Grant must be
affiliated with a school district, a college or university, a research
facility, or a cultural institution. The sponsor accepts proposals
from institutions and/or researchers from the U.S. and
internationally. Researchers must also have an earned doctorate in an
academic discipline or professional field or appropriate experience in
an education-related profession.

FUNDING
Indirect costs may not be charged to proposed budgets with less
than $50,000 in direct costs. For research grant proposals requesting
over $50,000, the Foundation will pay indirect costs equaling up to
fifteen percent of the direct costs of the proposed project.
Proposals exceeding $500,000 in direct costs require particularly
close scrutiny and are generally developed in close consultation with
Spencer staff prior to submitting a proposal.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 7:26 PM

The Second Florida College Access Network Conference

September 20-22, 2006
Wyndham Westshore Hotel
Tampa, Florida

The Florida College Access Network (FCAN) Conference is designed to promote collaboration and partnerships among the college access and readiness programs in Florida in order to maximize resources and increase the number of Florida's high school graduates who are ready for college.

The conference will focus on programs that address the needs of racial and ethnic minority students, students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students.

How will the FCAN Conference help to reach these goals?

The second FCAN conference will facilitate communication among representatives from government, education agencies, businesses, schools, community and faith-based organizations, and other educational programs to share program information and exemplary practices in the field. The conference will provide a better understanding of and connection among Florida's college access programs, and will support the establishment of the Florida College Access Network.

The conference will include information and presentations on effective interventions, partnership opportunities, educational resources, statewide access programs, acceleration mechanisms, and other college access and readiness issues. Conference participants will share ideas in small discussion groups on raising student achievement and college readiness.

For inquiries about the 2006 FCAN Conference, e-mail FCAN@fldoe.org

Other Links

• Conference Agenda
• Registration form to print, fill out, and mail (PDF, 19KB)
• Registration form to fill out on your computer, print, and mail (Word, 19KB)
• Hotel Accommodations and Directions
  
• Conference Sponsors

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 2:34 PM

Sponsor: Kennedy (Joseph P., Jr.) Foundation Program Number: 01354
Title: Parent Public Policy Fellowship Program
E-mail: info@jpkf.org
Program URL: http://www.jpkf.org/FELLOW.HTML

SYNOPSIS:
Support is provided for parents of persons with intellectual disabilities to take part in a one-year Public Policy program in Washington, DC, where they will actively participate in public policy development through work on the staff of a congressional committee or a federal agency.

Deadline(s): 09/01/2006

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:56 PM

The Department of Education has issued memo #2006-98 ADDENDUM TO FLORIDA COURSE CODE DIRECTORY AND INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENTS FOR 2006-2007. The memorandum may be viewed at:

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3843/k12_06_98memo.pdf <http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3843/k12_06_98memo.pdf>

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 5:05 PM

"Successful Counselors = Successful Lives"
November 16 - November 18, 2006
For more info, visit
http://www.flacounseling.org/calendar_convention.htm

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 3:07 PM

According to a recent study, underage drinking costs the United States nearly $62 billion a year. Published in the July 2006 edition of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol, the study notes that underage drinking leads to nearly 3,200 deaths each year.

"The problems caused by underage drinking are a devastating tidal wave of alcohol harm," observes Dr. Ted Miller, director of the Public Research Institute of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) and the study's lead author.

Resources:

For further information about the study, see PIRE's news release at http://www.pire.org/detail2.asp?core=38213&cms=114.

The study's state by state breakdown of underage drinking costs is available at http://www.iiaaonline.org/profiles.php.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 1:54 PM

Two new reports released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) could help federal and state policymakers improve procedures for monitoring the quality of care provided in residential facilities for adults and for children living with a mental illness. These two reports, which involved a national survey of state officials, provide the most accurate national data available concerning methods that states use to license, regulate, and monitor residential facilities for both children and adults with mental illness. Officials in state departments of mental health, social services and health and human services responded to a structured questionnaire on facility characteristics and programs, licensing and oversight procedures and sources of financing. To be included in the study, residential facilities for adults and children with mental illness had to be licensed or certified by the state as providing some therapeutic services in addition to room and board. The two studies found that states use a variety of methods for monitoring residential facilities for adults and children with mental illness, and that states vary in the extent to which they use one method or another. Typical methods included on-site inspections, documentation of staff training and qualifications, record reviews, resident interviews, critical-incident reports, and standards for resident-to-staff ratios and for educational levels of facility directors. All states used at least several of these methods, but few states used all of them. In addition, the studies also found that the regulatory and monitoring environment for residential facilities is complex because in most states, several agencies, each with a different mission and function, are involved in facility licensing, funding, and oversight. State Regulation of Residential Facilities for Adults with Mental Illness includes responses from officials in 34 States and the District of Columbia who provided information on 63 types of residential facilities; these 63 types account for 7,327 facilities that, in total, had 103,393 beds as of September 30, 2003. State Regulation of Residential Facilities for Children with Mental Illness includes responses from officials in 38 states who provided information on 71 types of facilities; these 71 types accounted for 3,628 facilities that, in total, had 50,507 beds as of September 30, 2003.

Copies of both reports are available at SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center at www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov or by calling 1-800-789-2647. SAMHSA, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead federal agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services in the United States.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 2:38 PM

Public Schools Perform Near Private Ones in Study

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:58 PM

Brief Highlights Key Indicators of Children’s Well-Being

The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2006."

Each year since 1997, the Forum has published "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being," a report that includes detailed information on the welfare of children and families. The Forum alternates publishing this comprehensive report with a condensed version that highlights selected indicators, as is the case with the 2006 brief.

The first section of the brief addresses population and family characteristics, describing the context in which children live. The following sections focus on indicators of child well-being in four key areas: economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education.

Resources:

"America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2006" is available online at http://www.childstats.gov/amchildren06/index.asp.

Print copies can be ordered online at http://ncjrs.gov/App/shoppingcart/ShopCart.aspx?item=NCJ%20214787&repro=0.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 8:14 AM

The National Hurricane Survival Initiative [PDF]

http://www.hurricanesafety.org/home2.shtml

After the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a group of organizations (including the National Hurricane Center and the National Emergency Management Association) decided to band together to crate the National Hurricane Survival Initiative. Along with their other public outreach programs, they created this website to bring information about hurricane preparedness to the general public. The site includes a storm readiness checklist, a hurricane questionnaire, and basic hurricane evacuation procedures. The "Storms Stats" area provides a primer on what exactly hurricanes are, along with concise summaries of the wind and water damage that hurricanes can inflict. The site's materials are also available in Spanish, and it is worth noting that the music that is synchronized with the homepage is rather loud.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 10:09 AM

Public release date: 13-Jul-2006

Contact: Andrea Browning
abrowning@srcd.org
202-336-5926
Society for Research in Child Development
http://www.srcd.org

Teens more vulnerable to peer influences from popular, well-liked classmates

Wondering if your teen's friends are a bad influence? Check out how popular and well-liked they are. In a unique experiment, researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that adolescents were particularly likely to say they would engage in aggressive and risky behaviors if they believed they were in a chat room with highly popular/liked adolescents who endorsed such behaviors. The study, one of the first to examine how peer influence works, is published in the July/August issue of the journal Child Development.

"Parents, educators, and scientists know that one of the most potent predictors of adolescents' engagement in aggression or risky behavior is the extent to which adolescents' friends are engaging in similar behaviors," said Geoffrey L. Cohen, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Yet, he noted, "we know little about how peer influence works, or about factors that might affect adolescents' vulnerability to peer influence."

To better understand how peer influence works, Cohen and his co-author, Mitchell J. Prinstein, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, had adolescents participate in an experimental conversational forum over networked computers. Instead of real people on the other end of the computer, however, the teens responded to computer-generated entities manipulated to appear like either highly popular/liked classmates or unpopular/unliked classmates.

The researchers found that adolescents publicly conformed to the behavior of high-status peers when others viewed their responses. They also privately internalized the aggressive and risky attitudes of highly popular/liked peers, endorsing these attitudes even when their responses were no longer visible to others.

"The effects of peer influence were remarkably strong," said Dr. Cohen, "predicting adolescents' aggressive and risky responses even more than their overall levels of past aggressive behavior."

The results also suggested that adolescents' social anxiety (i.e., their fears about others not liking them) may be one factor affecting their vulnerability to peer influence. Those high in social anxiety were especially likely to be influenced by peers, even if the peers were not highly popular/liked.

"These results offer implications for understanding and remedying adolescent aggression and risk behavior," said Dr. Prinstein. "For instance, many interventions try to change adolescents' aggressive and risk behavior using rational arguments, persuasive information and fear appeals that emphasize the negative consequences that follow from such behavior. But a more effective route involves changing not adolescents' own attitudes but their perceptions of the attitudes of their peers."

"You lead them to think, 'This behavior does not fit with my group, or with the group to which I want to belong,'" added Dr. Cohen.

###

Summarized from Child Development, Vol. 77, Issue 4, Peer contagion of aggression and health-risk behavior among adolescent males: An experimental investigation of effects on public conduct and private attitudes by Cohen GL (University of Colorado, Boulder) and Prinstein MJ (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Copyright 2006 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc. All rights reserved.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 10:06 AM

Contact FSCA President Shanshera Quinn at Shanshera.quinn@sdhc.k12.fl.us if you are interested in chairing or serving on an appointed committee. FSCA committees include, but are not limited to: Professional Recognition, Public Relations/Membership, Newsletter Editor, Professional Development Institutes, Web Master, a new Technology committee, and Government Relations/Legislative.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 8:52 PM

JA Worldwide has released new polling data that finds approximately 40% of teens nationwide do not participate in afterschool programs because they are not interested in the types of programs offered. Other prohibitive factors include cost and lack of transportation. Of the teens who participate in afterschool programs (defined as activities other than sports), over 62% do so at schools, while 18% percent participate in activities at religious institutions. For more information visit: http://www.ja.org/about/about_newsitem.asp?StoryID=355

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:16 PM

Education Week Holds Online Chat on Graduation Rates On July 6, Education Week held an online chat with Robert Balfanz, associate research scientist at the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University, and Elaine Allensworth, associate director at the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. The chat focused on high school graduation rates. The transcript can be viewed at: http://www.edweek.org/chat/transcript_07_06_06.html

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:15 PM

NCLB Sanctions on Horizon for Several States Maine, Nebraska, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, Texas are in danger of having 10 - 25% of their state administrative funds under No Child Left Behind withheld because their testing systems were not approved by the U.S. Department of Education. According to NCLB, assessment systems must be fully approved by ED for the upcoming 2006-2007 school year to receive these funds. For more information visit: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/07/05/42peer.h25.html?status=6

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:15 PM

3rd National ACCA Conference - Reno, Nevada! October 3-6, 2006

http://www.collegecounseling.org/conferences.html

Early Bird registration ends on July 15th!

Want to continue your professional development on the edge of the Sierra
Nevada? Interested in meeting other college counseling colleagues?

Then join other college counseling professionals from across the country
at the 3rd National ACCA Conference, themed: "Exploring New Frontiers in
College Counseling."

This dynamic and personable conference will offer 16.0 CEUs, 6 of which
are law and ethics. Practitioners from 4-year, 2-year, as well as
public and private institutions will attend. In addition, the members
of ACCA represent all types of mental health providers, from counselors
to social workers, from psychologists to family therapists, from
graduate students to seasoned practitioners. Join us for an excellent
conference that will be full of professional development opportunities
and among dedicated colleagues.

We are excited to have Maria "Paahpooh" Balbuena, MA and Thomas
Balistrieri, EdD, as the keynote speakers; their keynote is titled,
"Sacred Time, Sacred Space, and Sacred Relationships in the College
Counseling Profession." Many other exciting presentations have been
scheduled and they can be viewed on the online registration webpage.

One of the joys about the ACCA conference is that it is not one of those
huge, overbearing conventions where you are anonymous by default. At
the ACCA conferences, participants have the opportunity to connect with
diverse colleagues and engage in meaningful and professionally
invigorating dialogue.

In addition to the wonderful conference sessions and connections with
colleagues that will happen, the on-site team has developed some casual
tours of the area, for those staying through the weekend. Why? Because
we love our part of the world and are excited to share some of the
beauty with colleagues! Details are on the conference registration
form.

To register online or to obtain conference and hotel information, go to:
http://www.collegecounseling.org/conferences.html

Register soon for lowest rates!

Kathryn P. Alessandria, Ph.D., NCC, LPCMH
Assistant Professor
Counseling & Educational Psychology Department
Graduate Business Center, Suite 102
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
kalessandr@wcupa.edu
610-436-2559 x2553

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 1:04 PM

The Grant Institute's Grants 101: Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop will be held at the University of Miami - James L. Knight International Center, August 9-11, 2006.  Interested development professionals, researchers, faculty, and graduate students should register as soon as possible, as demand means that seats will fill up quickly. Please forward, post, and distribute this e-mail to your colleagues and listservs.

All participants will receive certification in professional grant writing from the Institute. For more information call (888) 824 - 4424 or visit The Grant Institute website at <http://www.thegrantinstitute.com>.

Please find the program description below:

THE GRANT INSTITUTE

GRANTS 101:

Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop

to be held at the

University of Miami

James L. Knight International Center

Miami, FL

August 9 - 11, 2006

8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The Grant Institute’s Grants 101 Course is an intensive and detailed introduction to the process, structure, and skill of professional proposal writing. This course is characterized by its ability to act as a thorough overview, introduction, and refresher at the same time. In this course, participants will learn the entire proposal writing process and complete the course with a solid understanding of not only the ideal proposal structure, but a holistic understanding of the essential factors, which determine whether or not a program gets funded. Through the completion of interactive exercises and activities, participants will complement expert lectures by putting proven techniques into practice. This course is designed for both the beginner looking for a thorough introduction and the intermediate looking for a refresher course that will strengthen their grant acquisition skills. This class, simply put, is designed to get results by creating professional grant proposal writers.

Participants will become competent program planning and proposal writing professionals after successful completion of the Grants 101 course. In three active and informative days, students will be exposed to the art of successful grant writing practices, and led on a journey that ends with a masterful grant proposal.

Grants 101 consists of three (3) courses that will be completed during the three-day workshop.
FUNDAMENTALS OF PROGRAM PLANNING
This course is centered on the belief that “it’s all about the program.” This intensive course will teach professional program development essentials and program evaluation. While most grant writing “workshops” treat program development and evaluation as separate from the writing of a proposal, this class will teach students the relationship between overall program planning and grant writing.

PROFESSIONAL GRANT WRITING
Designed for both the novice and experienced grant writer, this course will make each student an overall proposal writing specialist. In addition to teaching the basic components of a grant proposal, successful approaches, and the do’s and don’ts of grant writing, this course is infused with expert principles that will lead to a mastery of the process. Strategy resides at the forefront of this course’s intent to illustrate grant writing as an integrated, multidimensional, and dynamic endeavor. Each student will learn to stop writing the grant and to start writing the story. Ultimately, this class will illustrate how each component of the grant proposal represents an opportunity to use proven techniques for generating support.

GRANT RESEARCH
At its foundation, this course will address the basics of foundation, corporation, and government grant research. However, this course will teach a strategic funding research approach that encourages students to see research not as something they do before they write a proposal, but as an integrated part of the grant seeking process. Students will be exposed to online and database research tools, as well as publications and directories that contain information about foundation, corporation, and government grant opportunities. Focusing on funding sources and basic social science research, this course teaches students how to use research as part of a strategic grant acquisition effort.

REGISTRATION
$597.00 tuition includes all materials and certificates.
Each student will receive:

· The Grant Institute Certificate in Professional Grant writing
· The Grant Institute's Guide to Successful Grant Writing
· The Grant Institute Grant Writer's Workbook with sample proposals, forms, and outlines

REGISTRATION METHODS

1) On-Line -Visit <www.thegrantinstitute.com> and click on the Registration area. Fill out the online registration form completely. We'll send your confirmation by e-mail.

2) By Phone - Call toll free (888) 824 - 4424 to register by phone. Our friendly Program Coordinators will be happy to assist you and answer your questions.

3) By E-mail - Send an e-mail with your name, organization, and basic contact information to info@thegrantinstitute.com and we will reserve your slot and send your Confirmation Packet.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:55 PM

FLORIDA TRAILS NATION IN GRADUATION RATES Palm Beach Post -- June 21,
2006 by Kylene Kiang

Florida has the fifth-lowest high school graduation rate in the country,
its students making up a large share of the estimated 1.2 million
American high school students who will fail to graduate this year, a
study released Tuesday found.

The study by the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center found
Florida's graduation rate to be 58 percent, 12 percentage points below
the national average. The state had previously reported the rate at 66
percent.

More Florida news

*Latest state headlines
<http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/>
* P.B. County, TCoast news
<http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/>
Storm 2006:Hurricane news
<http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/storm/>
* Special reports
<http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/news/special_reports.html>
* Weather <http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/weather/> |
Traffic <http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/traffic/> |
Obituaries <http://www.legacy.com/palmbeachpost/LegacyHome.asp>

The study, which included data from more than 11,000 school districts
nationwide, also found that graduation rates are significantly lower for
ethnic minorities and boys. The analysis used the most recent data
available from the 2002-2003 school year.

By race, the graduation rate in Florida for blacks was placed at 42
percent; Hispanics at 54 percent; whites at 65 percent; and Asians at 80
percent.

By gender, both girls and boys in Florida were below average. Girls' 63
percent rate of graduating trailed the 73 percent national average for
girls, while boys lagged behind at 53 percent - well below the national
average of 65 percent.

The national high school graduation rate was found at 70 percent. The
study reported rates for American Indians at 48 percent, blacks at 52
percent and Hispanics at 56 percent. This compared with rates of 76
percent for whites and 77 percent for Asians.

The high school diploma is essential for future education, employment
and citizenship, said Lynn Olson of Education Week and the executive
editor of the study.

Without sufficient education, the economic toll on the country can be
great, she said. People without high school diplomas are more likely to
utilize subsidized housing and health care, food stamps and other forms
of public assistance.

In 2006, the employment rate for those without a high school degree was
only 42 percent, compared with 60 percent of high school graduates and
76 percent of college graduates.

Among the largest school districts, Fairfax County, Va., had the highest
graduation rate at 83 percent; the lowest, at 22 percent, was found in
Detroit Public Schools.

The five states with the worst graduation rates were South Carolina,
Nevada, Georgia, New Mexico and Florida. Among the best were New Jersey,
North Dakota, Kansas, Vermont and Connecticut.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/06/21/a2a_f
lagrads_0621.html

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 1:57 PM

FSCA 2006 Fall Election

The following four leadership positions on the 2007-09 FSCA Governing Board will appear on the 2006 November FSCA ballot: President-Elect, Elementary VP, Middle VP, and Member at Large. Pending FSCA bylaws changes, we may be electing a Secretary. If you are interested in seeking election for the FSCA Board, please contact Kate Germuska at educate@tampabay.rr.com or Rich Downs at rdowns@tempest.coedu.usf.edu by September 1, 2006. Terms run from July 1st to June 30th.

Contact FSCA President Shanshera Quinn at Shanshera.quinn@sdhc.k12.fl.us if you are interested in chairing or serving on an appointed committee. FSCA committees include, but are not limited to: Professional Recognition, Public Relations/Membership, Newsletter Editor, Professional Development Institutes, Web Master, a new Technology committee, and Government Relations/Legislative.

# posted by SchoolCounselor.com @ 12:27 PM