McREL Top Stories

Dropout conference

16 Jun 2009 19:25:41 GMT

KXMB News (Bismarck, N.D.)
June 9, 2009

At the annual dropout summit in North Dakota, McREL Senior Researcher Dawn Mackety explained that parent-engagement plays a crucial role in preventing dropouts. "If we can get parents more engaged, that helps kids make that connection between their home culture and schools," said Mackety.

McREL's Changing Schools named as finalist for AEP awards [Press Release]

5 May 2009 17:10:57 GMT

McREL News Room

McREL's Changing Schools named as finalist for AEP awards

May 5, 2009

Denver—Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) is proud to announce that its magazine for educators, Changing Schools, has been named as a finalist for the 2009 Distinguished Achievement Awards, given by the Association of Education Publishers.

Two issues of Changing Schools, "Creating Purposeful Communities" (Vol. 57/Winter 2008), and "Everyday Innovation" (Vol. 59/Fall 2008), were named as two of four Most Improved finalists under the category of Whole Publications (Periodicals).

"We develop each issue of Changing Schools with the educator foremost in mind, and we strive to deliver excellence in all of our products, so being recognized in this way is exciting," said Vicki Urquhart, editor of Changing Schools and lead consultant at McREL. Heeding AEP's advice from last year's evaluation, she said, the latest issues include "more eye-catching designs that carry the theme throughout the magazine and shorter, livelier stories that capture and maintain readers' interest."

The AEP Awards have honored outstanding resources for teaching and learning for more than 40 years. Each year, the top educational products are recognized in the categories of Curriculum, Periodicals, Professional Development, and Technology Innovations. This year's awards will be presented at a ceremony in Washington, DC, on June 12.

Changing Schools is published three times a year and is available to educators by subscription at www.mcrel.org/free-sources.

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McREL is a nationally recognized, private, nonprofit organization located in Denver, Colo., dedicated to improving education for all students through applied research, product development and service. In 2007, McREL provided research-based guidance to educators and policymakers in 47 states across the U.S.

McREL brief examines future of urban education and implications for policymakers

16 Apr 2009 17:55:56 GMT

McREL News Room

McREL brief examines future of urban education and implications for policymakers

April 15, 2009

Denver—Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), in conjunction with KnowledgeWorks Foundation, has published "Transforming Urban Education: Implications for State Policymakers," a brief that describes the process of scenario building and how it can help school districts in urban centers prepare for the future of education.

The brief, written by McREL's Laura Lefkowits, vice president of policy and planning services, and Barbara Diamond, a senior advisor at KnowledgeWorks, is based on work undertaken in 2008 by the two organizations with the Ohio 8 Coalition. The Coalition is a group of eight of Ohio's largest school districts, which used the scenario building process to explore trends likely to impact education and create four "plausible but divergent" scenarios, or stories, for education in the year 2020.

The scenarios address the following possible trends: governmental support of vouchers, which causes increased segregation in cities; full-service models that bring together education, community and healthcare needs; the widespread use of technology, which promotes grassroots options for learning; and a global economic crisis resulting in drastically diminished resources for schools.

The brief outlines three recommendations for state-level policymakers for actions that urban districts can take today in order to position themselves for success in any of these futures. These recommendations are: 1) to develop a comprehensive approach to urban schooling ("the Hub"); 2) to prioritize service learning for urban schools; and 3) to prepare urban students to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The writers explain the recommendations in detail and give existing examples of each.

"Transforming Urban Education: Implications for State Policymakers" is the first in a series of six briefs on the topic of the future of education that McREL and KnowledgeWorks plan to produce in 2009. The entire brief is available at www.mcrel.org/futureofschooling/PDF/4005PI_OH8_Brief_1_021709.pdf.

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Johnson Junior High takes steps now to improve student learning [Newsroom]

30 Mar 2009 15:29:14 GMT

Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Johnson Junior High School in Cheyenne, Wyo., will be using McREL's Success in Sight approach to school improvement. Success in Sight is a customized approach to school improvement that builds on school strengths, uses research to identify and implement changes that generate "quick wins" in student achievement, and over time, lead to long-term, sustainable changes in school culture and performance.

4-day school week gains momentum amid recession

18 Mar 2009 16:57:10 GMT

The Associated Press

The Georgia House passed a bill which could give schools the flexibility they need to switch to a four-day week. School officials want this to be an option available to them, though they don't have plans to move any schools to a four-day week immediately. There is more work to be done in weighing the benefits and drawbacks of the idea. McREL Principal Evaluator Andrea Beesley points out that the impacts on student achievement are unclear, "because so many things affect student achievement."

This story has been reprinted in several sources:

The Boston Globe (Boston, Mass.)

The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, Fla.)

The Miami Herald (Miami, Fla.)

MSNBC

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, Wash.)

And more...

HOME-SCHOOLING: Online courses offer flexibility

2 Mar 2009 20:14:22 GMT

The Washington Times (Washington, D. C.)

Olympus High School offers online high school courses to homeschooled children, allowing them to benefit from the structure and support of a traditional school. The accredited online high school uses content standards established by McREL.

McREL and partners unveil first NanoLeap into New Science module

24 Feb 2009 20:32:09 GMT

McREL and partners unveil first NanoLeap into New Science module

February 24, 2009

Denver—Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) and the Stanford Nanofabrication Facility (SNF) have released the first of two instructional modules from the NanoLeap into New Science project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The groundbreaking modules integrate real-world nanoscale science and engineering research into high school chemistry and physical science courses. Each standards-based module includes teacher guides, assessments, student activities, and experiments. Using topics normally taught in high school science, students engage in nanoscale science and technology concepts within a real-world context.

The first module released, "Investigating Static Forces in Nature: The Mystery of the Gecko," is designed for physical science classrooms and includes videos, animation, and interactive technologies. "NanoLeap prepares our students to be future contributors to the revolutionary field of nanotechnology," said John Ristvey, principal investigator for the project and a principal consultant for McREL.

Instructional materials for the module were developed by McREL in collaboration with master science teachers and nanoscale science and technology researchers. Throughout the four-year development project, materials were vetted and evaluated thoroughly in high school classrooms. The national field tests, which were led by Edina, Minn.-based ASPEN Associates, included a total of 1,400 high school students and their teachers. Ristvey said, "Our findings demonstrated that students using NanoLeap outperformed their peers in both nanoscale science as well core science concepts."

The module is available online at www.mcrel.org/nanoleap/ps.

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McREL is a Denver-based, nationally recognized, private, nonprofit organization that is dedicated to improving education for all students through applied research, product development and service.

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation, Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education award #ESI-0426401.

Greater Louisville Education Project Report

23 Feb 2009 19:49:56 GMT

WFPL News (Louisville, Ky.)

WFPL host Julie Kredens recently interviewed Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Sheldon Berman and McREL Researcher Carrie Harris about McREL's study, called the Greater Louisville Education Project. The study was commissioned by JCPS to analyze the district's performance and identify areas in need of improvement.

JCPS study cites problems with councils, teachers

13 Feb 2009 20:41:05 GMT

The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.)

Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky recently hired McREL to evaluate their district in funding, safety, college and career readiness, instruction, and advancing competiveness. The district plans to use the report to benchmark their progress and identify areas in need of reform. So far, the district has found McREL's report to reaffirm their goals and strategies, and raise awareness of areas that need to be improved.

Park City to decide on four-day school week

5 Feb 2009 23:13:46 GMT

The Laurel Outlook (Laurel, Mont.)

Park City Schools are contemplating moving to a four-day school week. Before they make a decision, however, they are trying to evaluate all sides of the issue and review the available research, which has been summarized by McREL.

One classroom, many cultures

26 Jan 2009 17:59:24 GMT

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

A small classroom in Sioux Falls brings together students from diverse backgrounds and ages in a one-room classroom for grades 3–8. McREL Principal Evaluator Andrea Beesley notes that children in such classrooms are often shortchanged on activities and can have trouble switching to larger schools later, but that they do benefit from working with children in other grade levels.

Qwest executive Michael Ceballos joins McREL's Board of Directors

19 Dec 2008 14:44:56 -0700

McREL

Michael Ceballos, Qwest state president in Wyoming, has joined the Board of Directors of McREL.

Ceballos has worked for Qwest for 28 years, managing and overseeing a variety of programs in marketing, equal opportunity employment, public policy, and quality management in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming. As state president in Wyoming, Ceballos manages relations with city, county, and state officials and represents Qwest statewide in its operations and communications. In addition, he has served on a number of external boards, including those related to economic development, business, and education. He holds an Executive MBA from the University of Colorado and a B.S./B.A. in accounting from Northern Arizona University.

"McREL provides 'one-stop shopping' in that its expertise extends not only to classrooms and schools but to districts and policy. I look forward to contributing my knowledge and learning from others' knowledge in an effort to improve education at every level," said Ceballos.

Tim Waters, President and CEO of McREL, said, "Mr. Ceballos brings a wealth of executive and policy experience to our Board as well as a commitment to education and its role in relation to business and economics."

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Jeffrey R. Williams, literary scholar and university outreach director, joins McREL's Board of Directors

15 Dec 2008 18:33:17 -0700

McREL

Dr. Jeffrey R. Williams, director of access and urban outreach in the Office of Enrollment Management at the University of Missouri-Columbia, has joined the Board of Directors of Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL). Williams, who oversees initiatives that target underrepresented students and broaden access to higher education, is also an American and African American literary scholar and previously taught at the University of Missouri, the University of Memphis, and Central Missouri State University. Williams is a prominent community affairs figure in Columbia and has served on a number of boards and committees, including his current position as co-chair of Imagine Columbia's Future, a citizens-driven group dedicated to developing a vision for the city's future.

"My interest in joining the McREL Board of Directors stems from an active engagement with the challenges of broadening access and educational opportunity to students from all walks of life," said Williams. "I believe that standards-based school reform is vital not only to school success but to placing students on the path to higher education. I look forward to serving on this board and to learning from its talented members."

Williams holds a doctorate in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia and received his B.A. and M.A., both in English, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Tim Waters, President and CEO of McREL, said, "Dr. Williams brings to our Board not only an academic perspective on education but also practical knowledge of what it takes to prepare high school students for successful transitions to college."

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Chief Academic Officer Deborah Backus joins McREL's Board of Directors

15 Dec 2008 18:33:13 -0700

McREL

Deborah L. Backus, chief academic officer for Jefferson County Public Schools in Golden, Colo., has joined the Board of Directors of Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL). Backus has over 30 years of experience in education, including previous positions as teacher, assistant principal, principal, administrative trainer, and assistant superintendent. She has been the recipient of a number of awards, including the Phi Delta Kappa Leadership Award and the Governor's Award for Excellence in Education, and a school she led, Montview Elementary, received a Blue Ribbon Award for Model Professional Development from the United States Department of Education.

"Ms. Backus is an exemplar in the education community, and the McREL Board will benefit greatly from her expertise, leadership skills, and determination to improve education through research and its practical applications," said Dr. Tim Waters, McREL President and CEO.

Backus said, "I am honored to be asked to be a part of McREL and hope to help the organization grow in its influence as one that supports the development and communication of knowledge to the educational community."

Backus holds a C.A.S. in Educational Administration in Urban Settings from Chicago State University, an M.Ed. in Reading and Neuropsychology from Harvard University, and a B.A. in Special/Elementary Education from Boston College.

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Superintendent Ted J. Adams joins McREL's Board of Directors

15 Dec 2008 18:33:09 -0700

McREL

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) announces the addition of Ted J. Adams, superintendent of Laramie County School District 1 in Laramie, Wyo., to its Board of Directors. In his 30-year education career, Adams has held a number of administrative positions including principal, university instructor, assistant superintendent, and superintendent for schools and districts in Wyoming, Indiana, Arizona, Oregon, Utah, and New York. Before his current position, he served as program director for the Stupski Foundation in Mill Valley, Calif. He holds an Ed.S., an M.Ed., and a B.A., all from the University of Wyoming.

"Education is the most important enterprise on the planet today," said Adams. "McREL is a respected leader in best and emerging best practices, and it is a privilege to serve on its Board with a team of people who strive to fulfill their vision of education's potential to transform lives."

Tim Waters, President and CEO of McREL, said, "For 30 years, Ted Adams has modeled a belief in the power of leadership to improve education for all children, and he brings not only this experience to our Board but a conviction that the best in education is yet to come."

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