By Sara Bernard

The Department of Education has issued the following memorandum regarding the 2006 Legislative Changes Regarding School Attendance. The memorandum may be viewed at:

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3919/k12_06_124memo.pdf

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3920/k12_06_124att1.pdf

(Attachment 1)

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3921/k12_06_124att2.pdf

(Attachment 2)

Regional Coordinator/Trainer, Florida Problem Solving and Response to Intervention State Pilot Project. Three positions - one to be located in each of the north, central, and south regions of Florida. Positions are with the University of South Florida, funded by the Florida Department of Education.

 

Responsibilities: Work with a team to develop professional development modules in Problem Solving / Response to Intervention; implement that training with school teams, district Response to Intervention Coordinators, and other interested school district personnel at various sites within assigned region; provide ongoing direct technical assistance and support to pilot schools within region; mentor coaches assigned to pilot schools; collect data evaluating effectiveness of training. Twelve-month position – start date: November 1, 2006, negotiable. Salary: $50,000 negotiable.

 

Required qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or higher in education or a closely related field; minimum five years experience in PK-12 public education; hold or be eligible for PK-12 certification issued by Florida Dept. of Education; experience with the implementation of Problem Solving / Response to Intervention model at the school or district level; evidence of highly effective presentation/professional development training skills; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; group leadership/facilitation skills.

 

Preferred qualifications: Master’s degree or higher in education or a closely related field; experience with program evaluation strategies and methods; experience in assessing student skills using a variety of formal and informal assessment tools; ability to facilitate groups of educators through the change process to consensus; familiarity with policies and operation of PK-12 public schools in Florida.

 

Application:  Positions are open until filled; review of applications begins October 1, 2006.  Send the following to Dr. Michael Curtis; University of South Florida; 4202 E. Fowler Avenue – EDU 162; Tampa, FL 33620 (curtis@tempest.coedu.usf.edu): letter of application explaining qualifications as listed above, current curriculum vita, three professional references (including name, address, telephone number, and email address), and explicit permission to contact references.

 

The "IC3's mission is to serve as a vehicle to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding the rapidly expanding arena of cyber crime." You can file a complaint using an online form on this site. Also includes a FAQ, a description of Internet crime schemes, and prevention tips in areas such as auction fraud, identity theft, and investment fraud. A partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center.

http://www.ic3.gov

Convention Volunteers Needed

 

 

Graduate students are being sought to volunteer Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the Florida Counseling/Florida School Counselor Convention held November 16-18.  Volunteers will "man" each breakout session and assist with paperwork, introduce speakers, collect response sheets and make sure that only those with a badge or tickets are admitted to the sessions.  Volunteers will also work at the registration desk.  Registration costs will be reduced by 50%, for students who volunteer four hours. Eight-hour volunteers, receive 100% of the convention registration free.  This is an excellent way to save money and learn about FCA.

 

Interested in volunteering? Students and members should contact Liz Thompson at LizTERRY@AOL.com or Elizabeth.Thompson@marion.k12.fl.us Please make sure  "VOLUNTEERING" in the subject line. I am looking forward to working with you.

 

• Kids Health: Going Back to School
  http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html
• National Safety Council: Back to School Safety Tips
  http://www.nsc.org/mem/youth/8_school.htm
• US Department of Education: Learning Partners - Get Ready for School
  http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/LearnPtnrs/ready.html
• KidSourceOnline: Helping Your Child Get Ready for School
  http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/getready.html

Class size key issue in governor's race

Cost, necessity sticking points

BY AARON DESLATTE

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060819/NEWS01/608190321/1006

 

After years of crowded classrooms -- a lull

Sarasota and Manatee are still expanding; Charlotte loses students

By DALE WHITE

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060819/NEWS/608190526

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in grades 5 through 12 who have demonstrated exemplary voluntary service to their communities. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility: Students grades 5-12 who have conducted a volunteer service activity within the past year. Deadline: October 31, 2006.

http://www.principals.org/s_nassp/sec.asp?CID=539&DID=48173

WEEK OF THE CLASSROOM TEACHER & WORLD TEACHER’S DAY Every year, the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) encourages communities to honor the professionalism and dedication of their teachers. ACEI is preparing for its annual celebration of the Week of the Classroom Teacher (October 1-7) and UNESCO’s World Teachers’ Day (October 5). These are important celebrations that acknowledge the contributions teachers make to education. It is an opportunity to relay the message that teachers are valuable professionals whose work and dedication directly influence the future of the world. ACEI encourages students, parents, school administrators, and communities to honor the professionalism and dedication of their teachers. A detailed planning guide filled with tips, suggestions and sample materials to help honor neighborhood classroom teachers is available:

http://www.acei.org/wcthp.htm

By Shilpa Banerji
Jul 26, 2006, 06:56
High-school guidance counselors advise middle-class Black students without a strong academic record to apply to community colleges more than middle-class White students with the same academic record, concludes a new study. However, when it came to students from upper-income families with low performances, White students were more likely to be recommended to community colleges than Black students.

Back to school

• Kids Health: Going back to school for kids
  http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html
• Firstgov.gov: Back to School
  http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Back_to_School.shtml
• National Safety Council: Back to School Safety Tips
  http://www.nsc.org/mem/youth/8_school.htm

Girls and Boys Town Residential Treatment w/ Dennis G. Vollmer -
CounselorAudioSource.Net <http://www.counseloraudiosource.net/archives.htm>
CAS033

THIS WEEK: Dennis G. Vollmer MHD, PLMHP, Director of the Intensive
Residential Treatment Center at Father Flanagan's Boys Home, speaks about
Boys Town Residential Treatment with CAS Contributing Editor Dr. Theresa
O'Halloran Runtime 37:26

NEXT WEEK: Dr. Steve Rainey of Kent State University discusses creating a
school environment supportive of GLBT adolescents with CAS Editor Dr. Marty
Jencius

You can download all of the CounselorAudioSource podcasts at
http://www.counseloraudiosource.net/archives.htm for play on your desktop
computer or use your iTunes or other MP3 podcast aggregator. 

The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you will send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women. The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country. All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are then printed on the Xerox iGen3® Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by military support organization Give2TheTroops®.
http://www.letssaythanks.com/

A Nation of Wimps Parental hyperconcern may be why kids can't cope.
By PsychologyToday.com

Maybe it's the cyclist in the park, trim under his sleek metallic blue helmet, cruising along the dirt path... at three miles an hour. On his tricycle.
Or perhaps it's today's playground, all-rubber-cushioned surface where kids used to skin their knees. And... wait a minute... those aren't little kids playing. Their mommies—and especially their daddies—are in there with them, coplaying or play-by-play coaching. Few take it half-easy on the perimeter benches, as parents used to do, letting the kids figure things out for themselves. Then there are the sanitizing gels, with which over a third of parents now send their kids to school, according to a recent survey. Presumably, parents now worry that school bathrooms are not good enough for their children. >>> Read more

From: FDOE <cindy.yeager@FLDOE.ORG>
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:52:32 -0400
To: <hlancash@TEMPEST.COEDU.USF.EDU>
Subject: FDOE Paperless Communication - K12 Memo #2006-116, New High
School Graduation Requirements, "It's a Major Opportunity!"

The Department of Education has issued K12 Memo #2006-116, New High
School

Graduation Requirements, "It's a Major Opportunity!" The memorandum may
be

viewed at:

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3883/k12_06_116memo.p
df

(Memo)

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3884/k12_06_116att1.p
df

(Attachment 1)

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3885/k12_06_116att2.p
df

(Attachment 2)

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-3886/k12_06_116att3.p
df

(Attachment 3)

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SECOND ANNUAL FLORIDA COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK (FCAN) CONFERENCE

Connecting for Students – Giving Power to Dreams

Registration begins at 9:00 am to allow plenty of time to arrive and get settled before the conference kicks off at 1:00 pm. Here are some highlights of our keynotes, great sessions, and panel discussions for the nest two days:

WEDNESDAY, September 20th, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

• Conference Opening and Welcome with Ms. Monica Hayes, Director of the Office of Equity and Access, Florida Department of Education.

• Keynote Speaker: Dr. Yvonne Freeman, Executive Director of SECME, Inc. formerly the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, hear how nation-wide programs have been launched that encourage students, educators, and communities to pursue education and careers in math, science, and engineering.

• Community and Faith Based Organizations and Grant-Writing Tips: Mark Nelson, Director of the Governor’s Faith Based and Community Initiative and Ruth Hall, President, Florida Association of School Administrators.

• Migrant Student Services and the Florida Migrant Interstate Program: Alice Matthews, Director, Florida Migrant Interstate Program, Florida Gulf Coast University

• College Goal Sunday: Mark Your Calendars!: Amy Albee, Coordinator, Outreach and Access, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education, Department of Education

• Centers of Excellence; Promoting a Culture of Achievement: Dr. Lawrence Morehouse, Executive Director, Florida Education Fund

• Cultural Competency: Monica Hayes, Director, Office of Equity and Access, Florida Department of Education

• College Readiness: PLAN/ACT: Tinsley Furry, Consultant

• College Reach Out Program (CROP): Dr. Adeola Fayemi, Senior Program Director; and Darrell McQueen, Program Specialist; Office of Equity and Access, Department of Education

THURSDAY, September 21st, 9:00 am through 7:00 pm
(Reception from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, hosted by the Florida Education Fund)

• General Session: Overview of A++ and Education Reform in Florida: Panel Discussion with Dr. Cheri Pierson-Yecke, Chancellor, K12 Public School System; and Dr. Bonnie Marmor, Vice Chancellor, Workforce Education, and Dr. Judith Bilsky, Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs, both with the Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education; and all with the Florida Department of Education.

• Engaging Latino Communities for Education. (ENLACE): Presenters from the University of South Florida will outline the mission, principles, and strategies of the Kellogg Foundation's ENLACE initiative, its transition to a university-sustained program, and the proposed ENLACE FLORIDA network which will constitute the third phase of Kellogg funding.

• Alternatives to Suspensions: Emma Banks, Principal’ Dr. Deokee Balliram, Principal; and Mr. Jack Myszkowski, Principal; all from Inlet Grove High School, Palm Beach County Public Schools

• Mentoring Initiatives: Kay Kammel, Vice President of Programs, Volunteer Florida Foundation

• Florida Virtual School: Michelle Kinley, Diversity Initiatives Manager, Florida Virtual Education

• FACTS.org and Career Counseling: Donna Haff, Director of Training, FACTS.org, Florida Department of Education.

• Luncheon Keynote Speaker: Ms. Kathleen Shanahan, Member, Florida State Board of Education  (tentative)

• General Session: Today’s Secondary Students: Real Issues to Address: Panel Discussion on topics of Health, Data Trends, Drop Out Prevention, Disabilities, and Discipline: Secretary M. Rony Francois, Department of Health;  Jeff Sellers, Director of Integrated Education Data Systems, Department of Education; Kimberly Davis, Director, Drop Out Prevention, Department of Education; Conney Dahn, Macy’s and Florida Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year for 2007; and Emma Banks, Principal, Inlet Grove High School, Palm Beach County Public Schools

• School Choice and How it Serves Students with Disabilities and Minorities, Virginia Gentles, Executive Director, Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, Florida Department of Education

• Financing College: Loans, Grants, and Scholarships; What’s New, What’s Required: Cynthia Williams, Need Unit Program Director, Office of Student Financial Assistance, Department of Education

• College Readiness: PSAT/SAT, Summer Camps, and Summer Institutes: Jesus F. Jara, Senior Director, College Board

• Mentoring Initiatives: Kay Kammel, Vice President of Programs, Volunteer Florida Foundation

• Guidance Counseling: The Expanding Role

Everyone is invited to attend the FCAN RECEPTION, starting at 5:00 pm.
Hosted by the Florida Education Fund


Friday, September 22nd, 9:00 am to noon

• General Session: Connecting for Students: How Do We Do What We Do Better? Panel discussion with Dr. Judith Bilsky, Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education, Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Chancellor, State University System, Board of Governors (tentative), and two students.

• Our closing session promises to inspire and motivate us to collaborate, improve upon what we do, and stay committed to helping Florida’s students achieve all they were meant to achieve through education. Pastor Ken Scrubbs, First Baptist Church, Leesburg, Florida.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060810/NEWS0101/608100327/1003

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has released "Developing an Anti-Bullying Program: Increasing Safety, Reducing Violence." The publication is the first in a series of Best Practice Briefs written for law enforcement that will feature programs that effectively address critical juvenile issues.

The brief highlights the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program as conducted by the Chula Vista, CA, Police Department. Developed in Norway in the mid-1980s, Olweus emphasizes community involvement and the establishment of clear rules and policies against bullying.

Resources:

“Developing an Anti-Bullying Program: Increasing Safety, Reducing Violence” is available online at http://www.iacp.org/Training/bullyingb rief.pdf.

For further information about the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, visit http://www.clemson.edu/olweus/.

Office Depot -- Helping Kids and Schools Grants (Deadline: Rolling)
Office Depot is accepting applications for its Helping Kids and Schools Grants Program. The purpose of this program is to support organizations in the areas of health, education and the welfare of children. Funds should be used to directly provide services.
http://www.healthinschools.org/grants/ops737.asp

From: "Lockman, Bambi" <Bambi.Lockman@FLDOE.ORG>
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2006 12:00:56 -0400
Conversation: IDEA 2004 Regulations and Related BEESS Activities
Subject: IDEA 2004 Regulations and Related BEESS Activities

As indicated in an August 3, 2006, email, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has announced the final regulations to implement Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004).  An official copy of the final Part B regulations of the IDEA will be published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006.  In the meantime, an UNOFFICIAL copy can be downloaded by going to http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html#regulations.  Please note that the regulations are 1705 pages in length.  The regulations will become effective on October 13, 2006, 60 days after they are issued.  
 
We anticipate that the following Bureau activities will occur as we implement the final regulations:  

• review and analyze the regulations to determine the impact on Florida’s Exceptional Student Education programs and services
• provide a PowerPoint presentation, briefing papers, and a document which contains a side-by-side comparison of the IDEA 2004 regulations and the IDEA 1999 regulations (AMM - September 20)
• review all TAPs and revise as needed
• review Florida’s administrative rules to determine changes needed to comply with the regulations and begin the rules revision process
• update the Florida ESE Process Web System (i.e., Statewide IEP) to include all changes needed to comply with the regulations
• revise the Policies and Procedures for the Provision of Specially Designed Instruction and Related Services for Exceptional Students (SP&P) document (based upon the final regulations and again when Florida’s administrative rules are revised)
• determine the most efficient way to communicate changes (i.e., regional meetings, video, video conferencing, presentations at state meetings, etc.)
  
  Please remember that while we are in this transition period, as previously discussed, Florida’s rules prevail.  More information will be provided as it becomes available.  Stay tuned!

The 65% Solution
Rich Downs, FSCA Standing Member


A number of you have requested updates throughout the year on the “65% Solution,” following is a brief summery.

Although the attempt failed during the 2006 Florida Legislative session, you may want to pay attention for renewed efforts in your districts to resurrect this initiative. Even though my conversations with informed sources suggest that the issue will not be discussed again in Florida, the outcome of Florida’s November election and a national movement may encourage our elected representatives to revisit the issue.

First Class Education, www.firstclasseducation.org, is a national organization dedicated to passing legislation requiring school districts to spend at least 65% of their operational budget on classroom instruction, as defined by the National Center for Educational Statistics. Georgia’s version of this initiative was passed by their legislature earlier this year and signed into law by their governor in April. Texas adopted the 65% spending rule last year by executive order, after a bill in the Texas legislature failed to pass. Also last year, the Kansas legislature made spending 65% on classroom instruction part of a school finance bill that was signed into law, and the Louisiana legislature passed legislation ordering the state board of elementary and secondary education to enact the 65% rule through regulation. First Class Education has collected sufficient signatures to place a constitutional amendment on Colorado’s ballot this fall and similar efforts are underway in Oklahoma, Oregon and Washington.

According to Standard & Poor’s there is no correlation between high-test scores and those states that spend 65% of their education budget on classroom expenses.

Recent conversations with colleagues from across the nation indicate that many counselor leaders are taking a wait and see attitude. Specifically, how are legislatures, departments of education or districts going to define the perimeters of classroom instruction and how counselors fit into those definitions. Apparently, Georgia is currently attempting to define “classroom instruction” and there are efforts to include school counselors in that category. The 65% initiative was recently defeated in Missouri.

Learn from experts about preventing the many dangers children face online and the strategies and resources to counter them by surfing safe, smart and legally. Audience-specific training workshops make this event ideal for parents, PTA organizations, educators, law enforcement, prosecutors, community leaders and organizations, and child safety advocates. Exhibits and product demonstrations will also be part of this informational conference.
For details and registration, visit www.cybersafety.ca.gov

Young teens see pregnancy as a way to enhance relationships

Study shows escalators as source of injury to children

Middle school students who perform more vigorous physical activity than their more sedentary counterparts tend to do better in school, according to a study published today by researchers from Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University. Read more >>>

This site is a "curriculum resource for American Sign Language [ASL] students, instructors, interpreters, and parents of deaf children." It features a dictionary of words with photos of proper movements, a "baby's first 100 ASL signs tour," finger spelling lessons, number lessons, material about ASL grammar and history, and more. From the director, ASL Online and Immersion Programs, Sacramento State, College of Continuing Education.
URL: http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/

Ethics and Children

The Spring/Summer edition of Greater Good, an online publication from the Center for the Development of Peace and Well-being at the University of California at Berkeley, has an interesting article by Nel Noddings on helping children deal with ethical dilemmas and decisions.  http://peacecenter.berkeley.edu/SpringSummer06_Noddings.pdf

This program funds one-time-only service-oriented projects identified by youth as activities they would like to perform to benefit their school, neighborhood, or greater community. Projects must contain a "pay it forward" focus -- that is, they must be based on the concept of one person doing a favor for others, who in turn do favors for others, with the results growing exponentially. Maximum Award: $500. Eligibility: schools, churches and community youth groups (with an adult sponsor). Deadline: October 15, 2006.
http://payitforwardfoundation.org/educators/grant.html

Youth Service America/U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention YouthRising program will award grants for organizations to engage high risk and/ or gang-involved youth in volunteer service. A significant portion of the project must take place on National & Global Youth Service Day, April 20-22, 2007. Maximum Award: $2000. Eligibility: organizations with documented success in prevention/intervention work with high risk and/or gang-involved youth. Deadline: October 12, 2006.
http://www.ysa.org/awards

Those who have studied the dropout issue in South Carolina have seldom posed one critical question: Why should students who are unmotivated or have a record of poor academic experience want to stay in school? For students at the margins of academic performance or social acceptance, the pain of their current school experiences often trumps their concerns about the future. Neither state law, nor the admonitions of their families, nor the prospect of long-term minimum wage employment is powerful enough to overcome these students' decision to withdraw from school. There have to be reasons students want to attend school, writes Hayes Mizell, and for most the educational, social and legal imperatives are adequate if not always compelling. But students on the dropout trajectory are not just reluctant to attend school. Over time, they become so disengaged from the educational and social dimensions of school that dropping out is merely the final act in a long process of alienation that probably began in the middle grades. One or more factors are usually in play: few friends, academic failure, truancy, conflicts with other students, emotional problems, substance abuse, lack of family support or just plain boredom. Like adults, students are ultimately responsible for the bad decisions they make, and they make more such decisions because of their immaturity and limited life experience. However, in many cases schools themselves share the responsibility. Most educators can identify by name the students most likely to quit school. Some do what they can to prevent it. Others take little notice when the students fade away. Yet too often, schools fail to organize themselves either to reach out to these students systematically or provide structures that help them develop satisfying academic and social attachments to the school community. Read more >>>
http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060728/OPINION/607280318/1016

The latest issue of The Guidance Channel Zine has been posted!



This fall, over 55 million students and 2.6 million teachers will be returning to over 100,000 schools. To help you start your school year off right, we are turning this month’s Spotlight section to back-to-school issues. Our feature article, Parenting 101: Family Involvement Equals Student Achievement , written by the National PTA’s Chief Executive Officer Warlene Gary, explains how building partnerships between teachers and parents at the beginning of the school year helps children to succeed year-round. We are delighted to announce that this article serves as the kickoff for a new monthly column from the National PTA that will focus in on effective ways to strengthen parent-school partnerships.

Also in this month’s Spotlight on Back To School , we present an interview with Reg Weaver , the President of the National Education Association. In this engaging and insightful interview, Mr. Weaver offers advice to educators on how to connect with students and communicate expectations when school begins in order to ensure a productive school year. Then our Tips article, What’s In Your Backpack? , points out ways parents can highlight the competencies, abilities, and good behaviors that children developed over their summer breaks to help them have a more successful fall. Our Top Ten Back To School Websites will guide you to thousands of activity ideas, ice-breakers, tips, and other resources to make this the best school year yet!

This month’s featured resource is our new website, www.MyBackToSchool.com . This site features hundreds of high quality, low-cost giveaways designed specifically for starting of school right! You’ll be able to choose from a broad selection of items, including stationary and desk supplies, gift sets, tote bags, bookmarks, water bottles, lunch bags, key rings, and other exciting items carrying messages of encouragement and gratitude. To check out this site and find out about our Instant Savings offer, click here !

In addition to our new column from the National PTA, we are also pleased to announce the launch of another column by Judy Whitaker for the Association for Career and Technical Education. In the first article for our new Career Guidance column , Ms. Whitaker offers tips on how to talk to young people about their career choices so they can move from anxiety to excitement about their future. Later columns will focus on such topics as the school-to-work movement, the outlook on careers, and career education for special populations.

As The Guidance Channel Zine continues to grow, we thank our readers and all of our contributors – both old and new – for your support. With this issue we begin our seventh year of publication and are sincerely grateful for the opportunity to work with so many talented, insightful, and inspiring people dedicated to helping children succeed in school and in life!

Best wishes for a successful school year!
Jennifer Brady
Editor, The Guidance Channel Zine
A Publication from Sunburst Visual Media

ASCA Foundation Scholarship: Are you a student working on a master's degree in school counseling? Apply for the ASCA Foundation scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship awarded to up to 10 students each year. The application deadline is Oct. 15, 2006. Download the application today.

	Although ASCA recommends a 250-to-1 ratio of students to counselors, the national average is actually 488, according to data from the National Center for Educational Statistics. Click here for a spreadsheet to see how the individual states stacks up.

The Barbara Bush Foundation -- Family Literacy Grant Program (Deadline: 09/08/06)
The Barbara Bush Foundation is accepting applications for its Family Literacy Grant Program. The purpose of this program is to develop or expand programs that promote literacy for adult primary care givers and their children.
http://www.healthinschools.org/grants/ops735.asp

Source: http://www.queuenews.com/Newsletters Jan/Florida_Education_1.html

A new Florida Department of Education report provides Florida's public high schools with information about the performance of their 2004 graduates. Individualized for each school, the reports present a comprehensive profile of college readiness based on graduates' performance while still in high school, compared to their enrollment in and first semester performance at a postsecondary institution. Administrators can use the analyses contained in the report to effectively evaluate and plan school improvement strategies. This is the earliest schools have had access to this data and the first time it has been available in one consolidated report.
 
Previously, Florida based its evaluation of college readiness solely on student performance on the Common Placement Test (CPT). However, performance on the CPT is just one of many indicators of student preparedness. The new reports, known as the "High School Feedback Reports," include school, district and state level data on ten pre-graduation and seven post-graduation indicators.
 
Pre-graduation indicators include performance on the tenth-grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT); participation in the PSAT, SAT, and ACT; number of students completing Advanced Placement; dual enrollment or other high-level courses; and the percentage of students eligible for Bright Futures scholarships. Post-graduation indicators include the percentage of graduates attending a postsecondary institution in Florida, percentage of students enrolled in college-level Math and English courses, and postsecondary fall term Grade Point Averages.
 
"Receiving timely data like this really helps schools focus on areas of concern that might not be apparent at first glance. The success of a high school can certainly be measured by more than just the number of graduates, and this data does a great job of digging down to specifics and shows just how well we are doing in many areas," said Bill Husfelt, principal of A. Crawford Mosley High School in Bay County. "I was excited to see the positive achievements of former graduates at the next level. These statistics confirm our belief that we are better preparing students for college than ever before."
 
"I am very impressed with the new 'High School Feedback Report,' which provides a comprehensive picture of how our graduates do as they continue their postsecondary careers. As a former high school principal, one of the areas we always wanted to evaluate was our ability to prepare our graduates to be successful in their further educational endeavors," said Bruce King, director of Assessment and Accountability for Monroe County Public Schools. "While some of that data was available, it was difficult to work with and nowhere near as detailed as this report. I believe that our College and Career Counselors will find this extremely valuable as they work to raise public awareness about the value of a high school diploma and when encouraging students to take the most rigorous courses possible."
 
For access to the reports, click here.

ASCA Professional Interest Networks (PINs) respond to members professional development needs in targeted areas. Additionally, they proactively seek and disseminate information on the targeted issues. For more information about the following PINs, contact the specialist listed below.

Bullying
Julia Taylor

Career Development
Jackie M. Allen

College Admission Counseling
Robert Bardwell

Crisis
Christina Mathai

Depression/Suicide
Sheri Bauman
University of Arizona

Diversity
Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy
University of Maryland at College Park

Student Achievement
Paula Stanley
Radford University

Students with Special Needs
Amy Milsom
University of North Carolina Greensboro

Technology
Glenda Reynolds
Auburn University-Montgomery

Transitions
Patrick Akos
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The 2007 ASCA Conference, June 23 - 26 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado will bring together approximately 1,600 professional school counselors in work settings from pre-kindergarten to post-secondary, counselor educators, supervisors and graduate students.  Share your ideas, techniques and experiences with fellow counselors by presenting a session or workshop at the conference.

From educational sessions to networking events, pre-conference workshops to inspiring keynote speakers, ASCA’s conference helps professional school counselors across the country meet their professional development needs.  Conference sessions allow attendees to take away solid, practical ideas they can put to work tomorrow, make valuable contacts in the school counseling field and discover the latest techniques in school counseling.

Presentation opportunities include breakout sessions in addition to full- and half-day pre-conference workshops.  Programs are selected based on timeliness of topic, anticipated interest, innovative content, collaborative components, well-defined focus and objectives and practical application of material.  Programs are chosen to meet the needs of all levels of school counselors and other professionals interested in school counseling.

Click here for information. Call for proposals due Tuesday, September 5, 2006.

School enrollment drops across Florida; educators left puzzled
(Orlando Sun-Sentinel) Read this article.