Do school data systems need improvement?

Mich. district prepares students for tech-driven world | How interactive whiteboards have engaged students in Conn. district | Va. district to improve security cameras, install buzzer system Created for jmabs1@gmail.com |  Web Version   March 11, 2013 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF          SIGN UP | FORWARD | ARCHIVE | ADVERTISE Head of the Class Sponsored By Do school data systems need improvement? Among the problems with the way school data are collected and organized is that the data are isolated, with academic, disciplinary and administrative data being kept separately, says Darrell West, founding director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution. Now, however, there is increased focus efforts that would allow school districts nationwide to share certain data. Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org) (3/14) Share:      100% pure Common Core. 100% guaranteed. Ready™ North Carolina is 100% built to give students rigorous instruction on every ELA and math standard, plus practice tests that match NC's 2013 blueprint. Teachers get easy-to-use lesson plans, online resources, and embedded professional development. Success is 100% guaranteed. Get FREE sample lessons eLearning Sponsored By Mich. district prepares students for tech-driven world Michigan's Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district is using a recently approved $114.4 million bond, in part, to invest in the school technology necessary to implement online testing requirements being implemented in the 2014-15 school year. Among other things, the district will purchase digital devices for all students and make improvements to district labs for science, technology, engineering and math to prepare students for technology-driven jobs of the 21st-century. "This is the way of the future, it's the nature of the global world," said John Barrett, school board president. Observer & Eccentric Newspapers (Livonia, Mich.) (3/9) Share:      Other News How interactive whiteboards have engaged students in Conn. district The Shelton Herald (Conn.) (3/8) Share:      Earn an Online MS in Instructional Technology With classes in multimedia production, instructional design, emerging technologies and more, this program arms you with the theory and experience to bring technology into the classroom. The Instructional Technology Specialist Certification will prepare you to take on an important and growing role in the K-12 environment. Systems Management Sponsored By Va. district to improve security cameras, install buzzer system The school board in a Virginia district has approved the School Safety Task Force's recommendations to upgrade security cameras and install a buzzer system at its high-school/middle-school campus. The changes require the transfer of about $60,000 to operations and maintenance from a surplus in instruction funds. Richmond Times-Dispatch (Va.)/Goochland Gazette (3/8) Share:      RTI for All When Resources are Slim As educators, we may lean towards one approach OR another to help our students, but there is a genius in the "AND." Learn from Dr. Weber how to balance RTI with limited resources by avoiding the "Tyranny of OR". Read practical examples of how Chicago area schools use this tenet to increase achievement. Download here. Managing Budgets Mo. schools plan for end of School Improvement Grants Missouri school districts are facing the challenge of continuing progress at struggling schools after the federal School Improvement Grant program ends this year. Schools have used the extra funding to buy resources, provide teacher coaches and pay for state oversight. Now, some schools are looking for ways to keep moving forward when the funds run out. "I don't want to feel like it takes money to move students," superintendent Tiffany Anderson said. St. Louis Post-Dispatch (3/9) Share:      Other News N.H. district plans investment in iPads, Chromebooks, interactive whiteboards SeacoastOnline (Portsmouth, N.H.) (tiered subscription model) (3/8) Share:      Schools and Social Media Calif. high-school students critique younger students' work More than 100 seniors in Kip Glazer's English class at Independence High School in Bakersfield, Calif., are improving their writing by being virtual writing mentors to sixth-grade students in Chicago. Once a week, the 12th-graders read posted assignments and then send feedback about the material to the younger writers. As they have learned to make constructive critiques of the younger students' work, the older students have become more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their own writing, Glazer said. KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog (3/7) Share:      Other News How young students can benefit from Twitter Powerful Learning Practice (3/7) Share:      Your Views In which of these subjects does your school or district currently use technology?  Math Reading Writing Social studies/history Science All of the above Last Byte How to celebrate middle-level students in class and beyond In recognition of National Middle Level Education Month, held in March, the writers of this blog post suggest several ways to celebrate middle-level students -- those ages 10 to 15. Patti Kinney, a veteran educator, and Dru Tomlin, director of Middle Level Services for the Association for Middle Level Education, suggest, among other things, that teachers give students the opportunity to write about their lives as middle-school students, encourage them to keep a journal of their health habits and allow students to express themselves creatively and artistically. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education (3/5) Share:      Editor's Note SmartBrief's inside look at #SXSW SmartBrief is attending the South by Southwest Interactive Festival, with tweeting @SmartBrief and blogging at SmartBlogs. Here's some of our coverage so far. Live at #SXSW: 6 innovation lessons from the world of standup comedy Live at #SXSW: How the WWE became the social champion of the sports world SXSWedu Snapshot: What's changing in education? Share:      SmartQuote Let me listen to me and not to them." -- Gertrude Stein, American writer and feminist Share:      Subscriber Tools Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions.   Lead Editor:  Katharine Haber Contributing Editor:  Erin Cunningham Publisher, Education Group:  Joe Riddle   P: 202.407.7857 ext. 228     SIGN UP   SHARE   ADVERTISE   SEND FEEDBACK Update Profile | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe |  Archive | Web version (print friendly) Download the SmartBrief App  iTunes / Android   Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 © 1999-2013 SmartBrief, Inc.® Privacy policy |  Legal Information