Department of Education Releases FCAT Lessons Learned Publication
The Department of Education recently announced the release of FCAT Reading Lessons Learned: 2001-2005 Data Analyses and Instructional Implications and FCAT Mathematics Lessons Learned: 2001-2005 Data Analyses and Instructional Implications, providing educators with detailed trend analyses of student reading and mathematics performance in grades three through 10. The publications include summaries, observations and statistical trends that provide a comprehensive study of student performance by grade. For more details, visit www.fldoe.org/news/2007/2007_11_20.asp.

Governor Crist Announces Florida’s High School Graduation Rate on the Rise
Governor Charlie Crist and Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg today announced that Florida’s graduation rate rose to 72.4 percent in 2006-07, an increase of 1.4 percent compared to last year’s rate (71.0 percent) and an overall increase of 12.2 percent since 1998-99 (60.2 percent). Meanwhile, Florida’s annual high school dropout rate declined from last year, dropping 0.2 percentage points to 3.3 percent, a decrease of 2.1 points since 1998-99. For the full story, visit www.fldoe.org.

ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program
The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. Maximum Award: $25,000 to Grand Prize Winner. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school. Deadline: April 30, 2008.
http://www.ing-usa.com/us/stellent2/groups/dc/documents/companylobinformation/001143.pdf

YOU PLAYED A LOT AS A KID? THAT’S PROBABLY WHY YOU ARE SO SUCCESSFUL
The education of young children has gained attention in recent years as new research on brain development suggests brain structure is powerfully shaped by early experiences. According to a policy brief from the Action Alliance for Children, there has been a consensus among early childhood professionals that play should be a vital part of any high-quality early education program, because play benefits cognitive, social, emotional, physical and moral development. While many associate play with a break from curriculum, the fact is that play-centered preschool curriculum is not a laissez-faire approach but actually a main conduit to reinforcing instruction. High-quality preschool programs do not only benefit children and families, as they potentially save taxpayers between $2.69 and $7.14 for every dollar invested by reducing special education, law enforcement and other costs. It is clear that when children play they have the opportunity to apply mental representation of the world to new situations, integrate all types of learning, and can become engaged in things that interested them, which fosters a natural motivation to learn.  So go outside and play already.
http://www.4children.org/pdf/play07.pdf

10-YEAR-OLD WOULD (AND DOES) WALK 280 MILES TO HELP THE HOMELESS
When Zach Bonner was six, he collected water for the victims of Hurricane Charley. Now 10, he continued his altruistic nature by recently completing a 280 mile-walk from Tamp a to Tallahassee, Fla. to draw attention to the estimated 20,000 to 40,000 kids who are homeless throughout Florida. When interviewed by Mike Vasilinda for WJHG News Channel 7 in Panama City, Fla., Zach said that the walk was "really tiring and exhausting. But whenever [he got] really tired [he] just thought of all the homeless kids that have to live through all the bad weather." Zach, perhaps showing wisdom beyond his years, thinks you can blame a lot of people for being homeless, but you can't blame children. Next on Zach’s altruistic agenda is planning a dinner for 1,000 families affected by Hurricane Katrina.  And next year, he wants to build a house for the homeless. Wouldn't it be great if more kids walked a mile in Zach’s shoes?
http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/11835421.html

REINVENTING THE BOOK BY MAKING IT DIGITAL TO ENCOURAGE READING
As the world becomes increasingly technology driven, with new gadgets coming out every season, it is easy to forget the book, an object which, thanks to Gutenberg, is superbly designed, completely functional and has thus far stood the test of time. In fact, books remain a more reliable storage device than any external hard drive, are easily "turned on" (just open it up) and unless it is one, require no instructional manual, reports Steven Levy in Newsweek. According to Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon.com, "books are the last bastion of analog," as long-form reading has failed to conform to digitization. To fill this market niche, Amazon has released the Kindle, an electronic device that has the dimensions of a paperback with a tapering of width to simulate binding, does not run hot or make electronic beeps, mimics the clarity of a printed book and allows for 30 hours of reading on a single charge. In addition, the Kindle enables users to change the font size and stores 200 books "onboard," with space for hundreds more on a memory card. Another added amenity is that the Kindle lets owners subscribe to newspapers, so when issues go to press the virtual publications are atomically beamed (thank you, Scotty) to their Kindle. As newspaper circulation numbers dwindle and Americans of every age are reading less and less for pleasure (as reported by Greg Toppo in USA Today -- second link), the Kindle just might be one way of increasing reading.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/70983/
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2007-11-18-reading-decline_N.htm

CACREP Accreditation Standards -- Open for Public Comment

As you may know, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is revising its accreditation standards. The comment period for the third draft ends this Friday, Nov. 30.

If you have not submitted comments, we strongly encourage you to respond to CACREP's request for comments. ASCA recommends four revisions that would align CACREP standards more closely with ASCA's National Model and would strengthen school counselor education to ensure that students graduate with the skills they need to be effective school counselors. For your convenience, you may download ASCA's recommended comments on the CACREP forms. Simply provide your name and e-mail address in the space provided, modify the comments if you desire, print the comment forms, and fax them to the CACREP office.

You may view or download Draft 3 of the standards at www.cacrep.org. You may also download the form or submit the comment form electronically.

ASCA also will submit more extensive and detailed comments. Thank you for your assistance. Your comments to CACREP will help all school counselors speak with a strong, unified voice.

You may also download the files from ASCA's home page.

Sincerely,

Eric Sparks, ASCA President

email: ascaaspects@schoolcounselor.org

web: http://www.schoolcounselor.org

New Technology and Youth Violence

Teenagers are using new media technology, including cell phones, personal data assistants, and the Internet, to communicate with other people in the United States and throughout the world. New communication avenues, such as text messaging, chat rooms, and social networking websites (e.g., MySpace and Facebook), have allowed youth to easily develop relationships, some with people they have never met in person. Read more >>>

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/electronic_aggression.htm

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- Youth Violence Prevention through Community-Level Change Cooperative Agreement

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Center for Injury Prevention is accepting applications for the Youth Violence Prevention through Community-Level Change Cooperative Agreement to support the assessment of the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions designed to change community characteristics and social processes to reduce rates of youth violence perpetration and victimization.

Priority will be given to the evaluation of primary prevention interventions, programs, strategies and policies that focus on the social and economic environment and/or the physical environment, including, strategies to improve the physical and social characteristics of neighborhoods and to reduce community density and availability of alcohol and drugs.

Approximately $1,000,000 is available to fund up to two awards. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to the following: nonprofit and for profit organizations, universities, hospitals, community-based organizations, and research institutions.

Deadline: January 7, 2008 (Letter of Intent)

Please Note: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) does not administer this funding opportunity.

Contact the Department of Health and Human Services grant program directly for complete program information and program guidelines:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CE-08-001.html

Parenting Moves Online: Parents’ Internet Actions and Attitudes, 2007, a new Cable in the Classroom/Common Sense Media poll conducted by Harris Interactive®

The majority of parents in the United States are taking action to ensure their children are safe and responsible while using the Internet, according to a new poll commissioned by Cable in the Classroom/Common Sense Media and conducted by Harris Interactive®. On September 26, Cable in the Classroom and Common Sense Media released the results of a survey of parents.  Explore these links to learn more about the survey, recommendations and background information.

http://www.ciconline.org/poll2007

New Organization Focuses on School Violence Prevention: A new national organization, the Consortium to Prevent School Violence (CPSV), has launched a Web site and multiple research, training and information dissemination projects geared to help reduce school violence. The consortium, a primarily volunteer effort, includes national experts in school violence prevention spanning the disciplines of education, psychology, mental health, social services and juvenile justice. According to its Web site, the Consortium to Prevent School Violence is committed to assisting educators and schools in the reduction of school violence. The consortium seeks to foster high-quality research on school violence prevention; communication among researchers, practitioners and policy makers; dissemination of research-based information regarding effective school violence reduction programs; technical assistance and professional development that aid in implementing effective school violence reduction practices; and advocacy of effective research-based solutions to policy makers. To learn more about CPSV visit: www.preventschoolviolence.org

http://martinez.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.View&ContentRecord_id=6798&CFID=27966329&CFTOKEN=79160711

MARTINEZ INTRODUCES STUDENT PROTECTION ACT

November 15, 2007 -

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today introduced a bill to create a uniform system of reporting acts of sexual misconduct by educators. The measure is very similar to one introduced by Congressman Adam Putnam (R-Bartow) in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.

“Currently, there’s no uniform, national system for reporting acts of sexual misconduct by educators. This bill seeks to change that,” said Martinez. “Without a national database, educators found guilty of these terrible acts often retain their teaching certificates and other school districts hire them without knowledge of their past.”

The bill requires uniform reporting requirements for educators and employees accused of sexual misconduct against a student, consistent with established guidelines for reporting child abuse; it requires a central body in each state to be responsible for receiving and investigating allegations of sexual misconduct by educators; and it creates a nationwide database of school employees sanctioned by the state for sexual misconduct – thus enabling state, local, and private school officials to ensure offenders remain out of the classroom.

“States and school districts ought to have a meaningful way to check the record of individuals before placing them in the classroom,” said Martinez. “By encouraging a coordinated system of standards for oversight, reporting, and investigation of sexual misconduct by educators we can better ensure the safety of our children.”

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Tips for Teens with Diabetes
 
Noting that 154,000 youths under the age of 20 have diabetes in the United States, and that rates of type 2 of the disease are soaring in young people, the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a joint project of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is releasing educational materials aimed at helping teens manage their illness.  A new "Tips for Teens with Diabetes" series includes topics such as "What Is Diabetes? Be Active, Make Healthy Food Choices, Stay at a Healthy Weight, and Dealing with the UPs and Downs of Diabetes," plus an interactive on-line quiz based on information in the tip sheets.  Information about the new materials, which are free of charge, is available from the NDEP at www.YourDiabetesInfo.org

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/nu-sfu111907.php

Public release date: 19-Nov-2007

Contact: Wendy Leopold
w-leopold@northwestern.edu
847-491-4890
Northwestern University

Student Facebook use predicted by race, ethnicity, education

Study of social network sites shows differences among users and non-users

New research from Northwestern University finds that college students’ choice of social networking sites -- including Facebook, MySpace and Xanga -- is related to their race, ethnicity and parents’ education.

The findings challenge discourse about the democratic nature of online interaction and fly in the face of conventional wisdom suggesting that all college students communicate via Facebook, the popular social networking site (SNS) launched in 2004 by a Harvard undergraduate.

“That race, ethnicity and the education level of one’s parents can predict which social network sites a student selects suggests there’s less intermingling of users from varying backgrounds on these sites than previously believed,” says Eszter Hargittai, author of "Whose Space" Differences Among Users and Non-Users of Social Network Sites.”

That study, now in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, finds that Facebook is the social networking site of choice for white students, that Hispanic students prefer MySpace and that Asian and Asian-American students are least likely to use MySpace.

While prodigious users of Facebook, Asian and Asian-American students were found to use the less popular social network sites Xanga and Friendster more than students from other ethnic groups. It found no statistically significant SNS choices for black students.

The study did find statistical relevance between parental schooling and SNS preference. “There seems to be a positive relationship between years of parental schooling and Facebook and Xanga use, and a negative one between years of parental education and MySpace use,” says Hargittai, assistant professor of communication studies and sociology at Northwestern University and faculty associate at the Institute for Policy Research.

Students whose parents have a college degree are significantly more likely to use Facebook than those whose parents have some college experience but no degree. MySpace users, on the other hand, are more likely to have parents with less than a high school education than those whose parents had some college experience.

Hargittai surveyed 1,060 freshmen from the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC). In 2006, U.S. News & World Report ranked UIC among the nation’s top 10 universities in regard to student ethnic diversity.

She also compared SNS usage by students living with their parents to that of students living on campus, with friends or on their own. Paradoxically, those living with their parents -- the students who might be expected to benefit most from the online social opportunities that SNSs offer -- were considerably less likely to use Facebook than their more socially connected peers.

That finding is inconsistent with ideas about the Web’s potential to improve people’s lives by sidestepping physical constraints. “In this case, it is the already constrained students who miss out on the Web's potential benefit,” Hargittai said.

What’s more, it suggests that social networking sites actually may contribute to a two-tier social system if, as the study suggests, people who already are interacting less with others on campus are also doing less interacting online.

“In a two-tier system, some college students cultivate lots of networks and social capital while others benefit considerably less from this important part of the college experience,” she said.

“Everyone points to that wonderful New Yorker cartoon of the dog at the computer telling a canine friend by his side that ‘on the Internet nobody knows you're a dog,’” said Hargittai. “In reality, however, it appears that online actions and interactions should not be viewed as independent of one’s offline identity.”

Consistent with other research, the study found women, regardless of race and ethnicity, are more likely to engage in person-to-person online communication than men.

The 2007 survey found Facebook the most popular SNS, with four of five students using it, and three of four reporting frequent use. Only one in 1,060 students claimed not to have heard of any of the six social network sites included in the study.

MySpace was used by 54 percent of students, with slightly less than 40 percent reporting frequent use. Ranked by popularity, Xanga, Friendster Orkut and Bebo each was used by less than one of 10 students.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/embo-gra111907.php

Public release date: 19-Nov-2007

Contact: Suzanne Beveridge
communications@embo.org
49-622-188-91108
European Molecular Biology Organization

Gender roles and not gender bias hold back women scientists

Traditional roles of women in the home and a negative bias in workplace support result in less career success for women versus men at the same stage of their research careers, determined researchers at the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) in a study appearing in the November 2007 issue of EMBO reports.

Despite the fact that more than half the European student population is female, women hold less then 15% of full professorships in Europe, according to the She Figures 2006 from the European Commission. While the percentage of female university graduates and PhD holders has increased, the gender gap is not closing at the same rate as careers advance.

The study authors, Ledin, Bornmann, Gannon and Wallon, were prompted to investigate whether gender bias was at the root of the lower success rate of female applicants to the EMBO Long-Term Fellowship and Young Investigator Programmes. Gender blinding of application reviewers found that gender bias was not the cause. A thorough investigation of the publication data of all applicants revealed that the performance gap widens even further between men and women researchers at later stages of their careers. This widening gap results in a 50% lower fraction of females applying as young group leaders to the EMBO Young Investigator Programme as compared to the number of female postdoctoral scientists who apply for the EMBO Long-Term Fellowships.

The EMBO Long-Term Fellowship Programme attracts scientists who completed their PhD training within the previous three years before application and are seeking financial support for post-doctoral research. Scientists at a later stage of their careers who are within four years of establishing their first independent laboratories can apply for support through the EMBO Young Investigator Programme.

Surveys of applicants found that traditional gender roles combined with a pervasive negative work culture appeared to be at the root of the lower success rate of women researchers versus men researchers.

The traditional gender roles are manifested by the facts that women take substantially more parental leave and more often adjust their careers in preference to that of their male partners. As a result women publish less and are slower to advance in their careers because on average they spend less time at work and have a greater burden to carry outside of the lab than their male counterparts at the same stage of their careers.

In the workplace, women scientists had fewer opportunities for mentoring, less supervisor support once they began to have families and there was a general lack of gender policy and monitoring in institutions.

The study authors ask whether employers, policy makers, scientists and society can afford to lose such a large number of trained specialists from the workforce. They conclude that both a shift in thinking about the roles of men and women and positive action in the workplace are required to ensure that family decisions do not prevent men and women from career and societal aspirations.

Through its Women In Science Programme, EMBO assesses and acts on imbalances in the scientific career path. EMBO monitors the selection process in EMBO programmes, alerts EMBO committees towards gender imbalance, devises actions to counteract gender imbalance and creates awareness in the scientific community.

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The study publication A Persistent Problem: Traditional gender roles hold back female scientists appears online until 30 November 2008 at http://www.nature.com/embor.

About EMBO

The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) promotes excellence in molecular life sciences in Europe. Since 1964, leading scientists are elected annually to become EMBO Members based on proven excellence in research. Members number more than 1300 today with a further 80 associate members worldwide. Forty-five scientists from the EMBO membership have received the Nobel Prize. EMBO Members have the opportunity to influence the direction of European life sciences and more than half are involved in guiding the execution of the many EMBO initiatives offered to life scientists.

Leading peer-reviewed journals - The EMBO Journal, EMBO reports and Molecular Systems Biology - span all aspects of molecular biology and reflect how science is shaping the world. EMBO-sponsored training and networking activities impact thousands of scientists every year, promoting collaboration in all areas of molecular biology – within Europe and worldwide. EMBO is renowned for the quality and funding of these programmes and activities that include EMBO Courses & Workshops, EMBO Long-and Short-term Fellowships, the EMBO Young Investigator Programme, the EMBO Science & Society Programme, EMBO Installation Grants and EMBO Women in Science.

Annual awards, such as the EMBO Gold Medal and the EMBO Award for Communication in the Life Sciences, recognise significant contributions of European researchers to the advancement of science.

For more information: http://www.embo.org/about_embo/index.html

2008 Effective Strategies Institute
Jan. 15-18, 2008
Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort
Daytona Beach, Fla.

The 2008 Effective Strategies Institute will be held Jan. 15-18, 2008, at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Institute is sponsored by the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC), the Florida Department of Education, 21st Century Community Learning Centers of Florida, the University of Florida, Communities in Schools of Florida, Inc., and the Florida Association of Alternative School Educators.

The Institute will feature three nationally renowned keynote speakers, including Dr. Krystal Kuykendall and U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Consuelo Kickbush. There will be more than 60 workshops representing district, state, and national research-based instructional strategies and best practices in dropout prevention and Exceptional Student Educational programs.

District administrators, teachers, student services personnel, and program coordinators who provide services to students at risk of not graduating from high school are encouraged to attend.

To register and submit proposals for presentation, please visit the National Dropout Prevention Center Web site at www.dropoutprevention.org/ndpcdefault.htm, and click on “2008 Effective Strategies Institute.” The registration fee is $195.00 before Dec. 21, 2007. After that date, the registration fee will be $225.00. Institute attendees are encouraged to make room reservations at the host hotel by Dec. 31, 2007, to obtain the conference rate of $134.00 per night.

http://missouricareereducation.org/curr/cmd/guidanceplacementG/elearning/

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/apa-cea110607.php

Public release date: 12-Nov-2007

Contact: Pam Willenz
pwillenz@apa.org
202-336-5707
American Psychological Association

Children's early academic and attention skills best predict later school success

Behavior problems, lack of social skills not linked with later achievement

WASHINGTON – Children entering kindergarten with elementary math and reading skills are the most likely to do well in school later, even if they have various social and emotional problems, say researchers who examined data from six studies of close to 36,000 preschoolers. Children’s attention-related skills also mattered, the researchers found.

These findings are reported on in the November issue of Developmental Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

For the first time, researchers compared results from six large-scale longitudinal studies comprising two national representations of U.S. children, two multi-site studies of U.S. children, one study focusing on children from Great Britain and one study focusing on children from Canada to assess what school-entry skills and behaviors best predicted higher teacher ratings and reading and math test scores as the children progressed through school. Children’s preschool cognitive abilities and socio-demographic characteristics were held constant to rule out their influences.

From a meta-analysis of the results, economist Greg J. Duncan, PhD, of Northwestern University, and 11 co-authors found that mastering early math concepts, such as knowledge of numbers and understanding the order of numbers, best predicted later success. Mastering early language and reading skills that included vocabulary, knowing letters and understanding phonetics were next in predicting later achievement. Also contributing to later achievement were children’s attention-related skills, including the ability to control hyperactive behavior, to concentrate while completing a task, and to be motivated for learning. Surprisingly, difficulty getting along with classmates, aggressive or disruptive behaviors, and sad or withdrawn behaviors did not detract from later learning.

School readiness skills and behaviors were measured at school entry (around age 5) and later achievement was measured between the ages of 7 and 14. Even after controlling for children’s prior cognitive ability, the authors found that early math skills were strong predictors of later math achievement and predicted later reading achievement as well as early reading skills. These and other patterns were similar for boys and girls and for children from both upper- middle-class and poor families.

The authors also found that early attention skills had a role in later achievement. But early behavior problems and lack of social skills did not affect later achievement measures in this sample. They caution that their studies were drawn from general populations and that children diagnosed with clinical levels of these problems may not conform to these patterns.

The lack of associations between social and emotional behaviors and later learning was the biggest surprise and could not be attributed to differences in the way early social and academic skills were measured, the researchers found. “Perhaps teachers are able to ensure that a child’s problem behaviors do not affect his or her achievement,” noted Duncan, but added, “we were unable to assess whether a child’s behavior problems affected the amount that classmates learned.”

The results are consistent with recommendations from expert panels of early mathematics and reading professionals to bolster the teaching of math and reading skills during the preschool years. “Our results did not address what types of preschool curricula are most effective in promoting these school readiness skills,” said Duncan. “But we do know that play-based, as opposed to ‘drill-and-practice,’ curricula designed with children’s developmental needs in mind can foster academic and attention skills in ways that are engaging and fun.”

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Article: “School Readiness and Later Achievement,” Greg J. Duncan, PhD, Amy Claessens, PhD, Mimi Engel, Northwestern University; Chantelle J. Dowsett, PhD, and Aletha C. Huston, PhD, University of Texas-Austin; Katherine Magnuson, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Pamela Klebanov, PhD, Princeton University, Linda S. Pagani, PhD, Universite de Montreal; Leon Feinstein, PhD, and Kathryn Duckworth, University of London; Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, PhD, Columbia University; Holly Sexton, University of Michigan; Crista Japel, Universite de Quebec a Montreal; Developmental Psychology, Vol. 43, No. 6.

(Full text of the article is available from the APA Public Affairs Office and at http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/dev4361428.pdf )

Dr Greg J. Duncan can be reached at greg-duncan@northwestern.edu or by phone at (847) 894-2032. Dr Amy Claessens can be reached at aclaessens@uchicago.edu or by phone at (312) 259-1975.

Support for this research came from the Center for the Analyses of Pathways from Childhood to Adulthood (CAPCA) at the University of Michigan, a National Science Foundations (NSF)-funded Developmental Science Center.

The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 148,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.

http://www.coloradofoundation.org/truancyevent.asp

Evaluating your Truancy Reduction Program
Presented by the National Center for School Engagement (NCSE)

November 28-29, 2007 Denver, Colorado

About this training
This 1.5 day training is offered in response to the many requests we receive for information on evaluating truancy reduction programs. NCSE has designed this interactive training based on practical training experience, lessons learned about truancy reduction and expertise in research and evaluation.

Who Should Attend?
This training is designed for those responsible for school-based, court-based or community-based truancy reduction programs. It is ideal for coordinators or managers who want to demonstrate their program successes and use evaluation to improve their programs systematically. It is suitable for those at beginning to intermediate levels of familiarity with data collection and use, and with program evaluation.

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1194514890196500.xml&coll=2

Abstinence-only approach less effective among teens, study finds

Abstinence-only focus ineffective

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Regina McEnery

Plain Dealer Reporter

A review of 115 studies on preventing teen pregnancy found little evidence that the popular but controversial abstinence-only approach delays or reduces sexual activity among adolescents.

Click the above website to read more …

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/esr-cpv110607.php

Public release date: 11-Nov-2007

Contact: Alexandra Saxon
alexandra.saxon@esrc.ac.uk
01-793-413-032
Economic & Social Research Council

Children's peer victimization -- a mix of loyalty and preference

New research into childhood prejudice suggests that loyalty and disloyalty play a more important role than previously thought in how children treat members of their own and other groups. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), a study into the ‘black sheep effect’, shows that children treat disloyalty in their own group more harshly than disloyalty within different groups.

Professor Dominic Abrams, of Kent University, who led the research team, says the findings will be valuable when applied to the classroom.

“This research has implications for peer victimisation and bullying as well as for the understanding and management of prejudice and discrimination in schools“.

For the past 30 years, research into prejudice between different groups suggested that children progress from regarding groups of people in simple terms of difference, such as White or Black, to regarding people more as unique individuals. However, this does not easily explain why prejudice happens at different ages for different types of groups or why adults continue to show prejudice.

The new research was stimulated by evidence that adults may show strong bias in favour of or against groups while also being staunch critics of individual members within those same groups. Rather than becoming less prejudiced with age, young people can grow to support their own group in a more targeted and sophisticated way. They focus not just on whether peers belong to their own group, but on how well they conform to social values, such as loyalty to the group.

Carried out with more than 800 children aged between 5-12 years, a series of 7 experimental studies showed that children in this early age group favoured loyal peers more if these peers belonged to the same group as themselves than if they belonged to a different group. Disloyalty within outside groups was seen to be more valued and not criticized in the same way as it would be from members of their own group. This “black-sheep effect” was found within national groups (French and English) and within gender groups where it was clearer for boys than girls.

The research consistently supported a new model, known as the Development Model of Subjective Group Dynamics, challenging previous theories of childhood prejudice. According to Professor Abrams, a more complete developmental account of ‘intergroup’ prejudice must understand not just why particular groups are victimized but also how children decide which individuals within those groups should be singled out for specially positive or specially negative treatment.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

Professor Dominic Abrams - Tel 01227827030 e-mail D.Abrams@kent.ac.uk

ESRC Press Office

Alexandra Saxon Tel: 01793 413032, e-mail: alexandra.saxon@esrc.ac.uk
Danielle Moore Tel: 01793 413032, e-mail: danielle.moore@esrc.ac.uk
Phillippa Coates Tel: 01793 413119, e-mail: phillipa.coates@esrc.ac.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The research “Children’s Evaluations of Deviant Ingroup and Outgroup Members’, was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. It was carried out by Professor Dominic Abrams and Professor Adam Rutland of the University of Kent

2. Methodology -.A series of 7 experimental studies were carried out on groups involving more than 800 children aged between 5 and 12 years. They were asked about their perceptions and evaluations of other ’target’ children described as belonging either to an ’ingroup‘ (school, team, nationality, gender) or a contrasting or competing group. Some targets were described as conforming to their group norms by displaying loyalty (normative targets), other (deviant) targets behaved in ways more consistent with the norms of the outgroup.

3. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It supports independent, high quality research relevant to business, the public sector and voluntary organisations. The ESRC’s planned total expenditure in 2007 - 08 is £181 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and research policy institutes. More at http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk

4. 4. ESRC Society Today offers free access to a broad range of social science research and presents it in a way that makes it easy to navigate and saves users valuable time. As well as bringing together all ESRC-funded research and key online resources such as the Social Science Information Gateway and the UK Data Archive, non-ESRC resources are included, for example the Office for National Statistics. The portal provides access to early findings and research summaries, as well as full texts and original datasets through integrated search facilities. More at http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk

5. The ESRC confirms the quality of its funded research by evaluating research projects through a process of peer review.

Counselors sometimes ask questions about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the federal law that protects the privacy of students' education records. The Department of Education has developed a series of easy-to-read brochures addressing this issue, and ASCA is pleased to provide these downloadable brochure files to its members. Brochures are available for elementary/secondary schools, colleges and one to distribute to parents.

The FERPA brochures for school officials also include contact information for obtaining additional guidance and assistance.

First Lady Laura Bush will address the Helping America's Youth regional conference in Dallas, TX, on November 8, 2007. Mrs. Bush will join federal and state officials to discuss the challenges facing our nation's youth and commend the good work of youth-serving organizations.

At the conference, OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores will discuss the Community Guide to Helping America's Youth, an online tool that helps communities form effective partnerships, assess community resources, and identify proven programs that support positive youth development.

Resources:

View the Webcast of the First Lady's address and the entire conference by visiting http://www.helpingamericasyouth.gov/prepare.cfm.

The conference will air 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST, with Mrs. Bush's keynote scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CST.

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The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs in the U.S. Department of Justice.

Subscribe or unsubscribe to JUVJUST.
Visit the OJJDP Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp.

College Scholarships

• Hardship Scholarship Deadline: May. 29, 2008 Amount: $10,000

• Nursing Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $1,500
• Psychology Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $2,500
• Elementary Education Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $2,500
• Computer Science Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $1,000
• Business Administration Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $2,000
• Education Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $1,900
• Biology Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $1,500
• English Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $2,000
• Communications Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $2,000
• Political Science Scholarship Deadline: May 29, 2008 Amount: $2,500

Enrollment begins November 1st. everyone is eligible to apply. For more information read our terms and conditions.

If you feel that this information will be useful to your students, we ask that you put the above links on your web site for students and parents to find.

We also encourage you to browse our site www.ApplyingToSchool.com for yourself. We hope that we can work together to help students for a better tomorrow. There is no cost and no registration is required.

Should you have any question, please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail.

Best,

Amber Molter

AMolter@ApplyingToSchool.com

212-537-6250

$4.5 Million in National Co-op Scholarships Available: The National Commission for Cooperative Education, dedicated to the advancement of high quality, college-level, cooperative education is pleased to announce its sixth annual national co-op scholarship program. As one of the largest independently sponsored merit co-op scholarship programs in North America, the National Commission will award 185 scholarships of $5,000 each; most are renewable for up to $20,000 to $25,000. Get more information or apply. Application deadline is Feb. 15, 2008.

Find a Gay-Friendly College/University: A new national online tool makes finding a gay-friendly college easier. The LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index, the only online resource of its kind, is a national assessment tool for colleges and universities designed to help LGBT and allies find an inclusive, welcoming and respectful college or university. The free online database provides LGBT-specific info about each campus and allows the public (students and their families) to search and then contact interested campuses to learn more. In addition, the index hosts LGBT and ally college admission fairs throughout the country. Learn more.

Partnership for Learning Survey:Complete a three-minute survey to help Partnership for Learning determine how the evolution of digital technologies is affecting college access communications. Survey participants will be entered into a drawing for an iPhone or one of four $100 gift certificates. For more information, contact noah@PartnershipForLearning.org.

Do Something Grants Available: Do Something, a Web-based nonprofit organization, sponsors clubs throughout the nation that help bring together students in hopes of improving their communities. Do Something also gives out two $500 grants each week to youth who have an idea or have followed through with a community action project. Learn more.

Autistic Children Architect Their Ideas Using 3D Design Software

Project Spectrum was developed by the SketchUp Team at Google to help people with autism take advantage of their visual and spatial gifts. The idea for Project Spectrum originated when we began getting phone calls and emails from users telling us about how much kids on the autism spectrum were enjoying SketchUp. As the calls kept coming in, we learned that people with autism tend to be visually and spatially gifted—that, in fact, they think in pictures. When people with these gifts get their hands on powerful, easy-to-use 3D design software like SketchUp, sparks tend to fly.

http://www.google.com/educators/spectrum.html

Florida has a very broad public records law.  As a result, any written communication created or received by Florida Gulf Coast University employees is subject to disclosure to the public and the media, upon request, unless otherwise exempt.  Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records.  If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity.  Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

2008 Effective Strategies Institute
Jan. 15-18, 2008
Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort
Daytona Beach, Fla.

The 2008 Effective Strategies Institute will be held Jan. 15-18, 2008, at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Institute is sponsored by the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC), the Florida Department of Education, 21st Century Community Learning Centers of Florida, the University of Florida, Communities in Schools of Florida, Inc., and the Florida Association of Alternative School Educators.

The Institute will feature three nationally renowned keynote speakers, including Dr. Krystal Kuykendall and U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Consuelo Kickbush. There will be more than 60 workshops representing district, state, and national research-based instructional strategies and best practices in dropout prevention and Exceptional Student Educational programs.

District administrators, teachers, student services personnel, and program coordinators who provide services to students at risk of not graduating from high school are encouraged to attend.

To register and submit proposals for presentation, please visit the National Dropout Prevention Center Web site at www.dropoutprevention.org/ndpcdefault.htm, and click on “2008 Effective Strategies Institute.” The registration fee is $195.00 before Dec. 21, 2007. After that date, the registration fee will be $225.00. Institute attendees are encouraged to make room reservations at the host hotel by Dec. 31, 2007, to obtain the conference rate of $134.00 per night.

2007 Florida Charter School Conference
Dec. 3-4, 2007
Hilton, located in the Walt Disney World Resort
Orlando, Fla.

The 2007 Florida Charter School Conference will take place Dec. 3-4, 2007, at the Hilton located in the Walt Disney World Resort. This year's theme "Charters: A Choice for Excellence," will focus on leadership and the pursuit of excellence. The program is designed to provide information needed to continue offering a high-quality educational choice for Florida's students and parents. If you are interested in the success of charter schools and the options they give students in Florida, you should attend. Sessions are targeted at authorizers, administrators, educators and charter school stakeholders. Register by Nov. 12, 2007, to receive the discounted rate.

For more information on this conference, visit www.charterschoolconference.com.

The U.S. Department of Justice is accepting applications for its Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T) grant program. The purpose of the program is to support school-based primary prevention of delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership through the school-based G.R.E.A.T Program.

Award amounts are either up to $125,000 or up to $150,000, depending on the collaborations and the combinations of the following curricula involved: a 13-week middle school curriculum; a 6-week elementary (4th and 5th graders) curriculum; a 6-lesson G.R.E.A.T. families component; or a G.R.E.A.T. summer component. Eligible applicants include local, state, or tribal jurisdictions or their respective law enforcement agencies, including school police, housing authority police, prosecution, probation, and parole agencies possessing the power of arrest.

Deadline: December 13, 2007

Contact the U.S. Department of Justice grant program directly for complete program information and program guidelines:
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/08GREATsol.pdf

Nickelodeon is accepting entries in its Let’s Just Play Giveaway. The purpose of the giveaway is to support physical education, nutrition, and recreation programs in schools or communities.

Award amounts are $5,000 (20 winners randomly selected every month). Eligible applicants are kids ages 6-15.

Deadline: January 9, 2008

Contact the Nickelodeon grant program directly for complete program information and program guidelines:
http://www.nick.com/all_nick/everything_nick/ljp_home07.jhtml

ASCA has just posted access to a draft set of Professional School Counselor competencies
on the ASCA website home page, www.schoolcounselor.org.

I encourage each of you to review and provide feedback during the public comment period. Public comment ends November 30.

These competencies focus on the skills school counselors need to establish, maintain and enhance a comprehensive school counseling program.

The identified competencies from our own professional organization has potential to be used for advocacy purposes, used when updating job descriptions, referred to when discussing school counselors, used by graduate programs in School Counseling and certification/endorsements for Professional School Counseling.

National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) "NDVH is a nonprofit organization that provides crisis intervention, information and referral to victims of domestic violence, perpetrators, friends and families. The Hotline answers a variety of calls and is a resource for domestic violence advocates, government officials, law enforcement agencies and the general public." Website includes fact sheets, statistics about domestic violence in the U.S., and links to related sites. In English and Spanish. NDVH is a project of Texas Council on Family Violence.

URL: http://www.ndvh.org/