News and New Publications from the Southern Regional Education Board

Publication: Making the Critical Transition to Stable Funding for State Virtual Schools

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:33:33 GMT

Enrollment in SREB state virtual schools has increased sevenfold since 2005, but few funding models exist that states can use to adequately support their growth. This report calls for state leaders to move beyond annual legislative allotment and provide sustainable, reliable funding that can help state virtual schools meet the increasing academic needs of students.

SREB States Respond to Economic Challenges

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:34:34 GMT

As an economic slowdown sweeps the nation, SREB states are taking action to bring budgets into balance while working to protect essential services and programs. For a summary of steps SREB states had taken as of December 1, 2008, to balance state budgets, see the new SREB focus report.

Preparing Middle Grades Students for High School Success: A Comparative Study of Most- and Least-Improved Middle Grades Schools

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:48:39 GMT

In an era of rising college and workplace requirements, completing a quality high school education is more important than ever before. But students cannot be expected to excel in rigorous high school studies if they do not receive adequate preparation in the middle grades. Using the results from the 2004 and 2006 Middle Grades Assessments, this report compares school and classroom practices of improving and non-improving middle grades schools and identifies actions schools can take to prepare more students for success in high school and beyond.

Middle Grades Schools Take Their Role Seriously in Preparing Students for Rigorous High School Studies

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:45:35 GMT

The fourth of a series eight of Best Practices newsletters is now available online. These newsletters describe best practices presented at the 2008 HSTW Staff Development Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

This newsletter focuses on strategies middle grades schools are using to prepare more students for success in high school. The newsletter includes examples of how schools are implementing the Making Middle Grades Work framework to improve outcomes for all groups of students.

Reading and Writing Are Essential Skills for All Educational and Career Pathways

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:36:23 GMT

The third of a series of Best Practices newsletters is now available online. These newsletters describe best practices presented at the 2008 HSTW Staff Development Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

This third newsletter focuses on the importance of reading and writing skills in all educational and career pathways. The newsletter includes a variety of strategy for integrating reading and writing skills across the curriculum in academic, career/technical and fine arts courses in ways that improve student achievement in reading and writing and in the content area.

To access this newsletter, click on this link: http://www.sreb.org/publications/2008/newsletters/08SummerConferenceNewsletter.asp. You can also find the newsletter by going to the SREB Web site at www.sreb.org. Click on the High Schools That Work tab at the top of the page and then click on Publications and Materials in the side panel. When that page appears, click on the heading, “Newsletters of Best Practices from the 2008 HSTW Staff Development Conference.”

As you examine practices other schools are implementing, I hope you will work with your staff to identify a practice your school has implemented to successfully integrate reading and writing into all subject areas that your school can share at the 2009 HSTW Staff Development Conference

For First Time, Students in SREB States Pass AP Exams at National Rate

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:29:28 GMT

The percentage of seniors who passed at least one Advanced Placement exam in the 16 SREB states in 2007 matched the national rate for the first time, a new SREB report shows. SREB States Continue to Lead the Nation in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs shows that student participation and success in these academically rigorous high school programs continue to grow across the region. For details, see the report and the press release.

Quality Career/Technical Programs Prepare Students to Succeed in a New, More Challenging Economy

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:05:36 GMT

Newsletters of Best Practices from the 2008 HSTW Staff Development Conference: Quality Career/Technical Programs Prepare Students to Succeed in a New, More Challenging Economy

Publication: Focus on Governance in K-12 Education: State-Level Models

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:36:10 GMT

In elementary and secondary education governance, the need to build an effective system of public education is the driving force behind the selection of a state’s key education leaders. This paper provides a snapshot of what state K-12 governance looks like in SREB states.

Publication: Charter Schools in SREB States: A Call for Accountability

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:38:05 GMT

By 2007, more than 950 charter schools, some of them nearly 15 years old, were operating in 13 SREB states, with enrollments approaching 350,000 students. This report explores how the achievement of charter school students in certain SREB states compares with the achievement of traditional public school students, and it examines roles of statewide data systems and state-level policies in establishing and maintaining effective charter schools.

Goal that it reflects:

School-by-school accountability systems are focused on results.
Performance gaps in meeting state standards are closed school by school and for groups of students within each school.

SREB States Continue to Lead the Nation in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:35:47 GMT

Student participation and success in AP and IB programs in the SREB region continue to grow. In fact, the percentage of seniors who passed at least one AP exam during high school in SREB states matched the U.S. percentage for the first time in 2007. SREB's Challenge to Lead Goals for Education recognize the importance of AP and IB programs in engaging students in more advanced course work and building college readiness. This report describes states' progress in these programs - especially for underrepresented student groups - and offers strategies for policy-makers interested in strengthening the programs.

SREB Launches New Web Site for Online Teachers

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:36:46 GMT

SREB has launched a first-of-its-kind Web site for teachers of middle grades and high school online courses. The Web site, www.srebonlineteachers.org, will help online teachers in SREB states connect with each other, find and share best practices, pursue professional development, and more. It is funded by a grant from the AT&T Foundation.

The SREB region’s leadership in online learning continues to expand. SREB’s Educational Technology Cooperative created the first national standards for K-12 online teaching and online courses, and all 16 SREB member states now have or are creating state virtual schools.

Publication: High School Experiences That Influence Reading Proficiency: What Schools and States Can Do

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:35:18 GMT

Using the HSTW Assessment Reading Test results, SREB has identified a set of literacy-based experiences that may contribute to higher reading achievement. This report explains the different school and classroom practices experienced by students reading above and below the Proficient level on the HSTW Assessment and provides actions that schools and states can take to improve students' reading achievement.

2008 Legislative Briefing

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:34:42 GMT

This report is a topical summary of actions during the 2008 legislative sessions that affect education in the SREB states. Topics include state budgets and the economy; tax and revenue; teacher and faculty pay raises; retirement systems; issues affecting teachers and education leaders; health and safety; standards, assessment and accountability; student preparation; programs for young and at-risk students; tuition and fees; student financial aid; and higher education.

SREB States Improve Student Achievement in the Early Grades

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:40:07 GMT

Many SREB states are making modest progress in early grades’ student achievement but face major challenges in the years ahead, a new SREB report shows.

Most SREB states have seen strong gains in the percentages of fourth-graders meeting their state’s academic standards in reading and math, and in student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). But all SREB states face persistent achievement gaps between some groups of students, and possible cuts in federal Reading First funding — funds that previously enabled some states to create successful statewide reading programs. For details, see Set for Success: Improving Reading and Mathematics Achievement in the Early Grades. Click here for the press release.

SREB Region Makes Gains on Average ACT Scores

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:55:32 GMT

Eight of the nine SREB states that predominantly use the ACT college admission test bucked the declining score trend nationwide by improving their average statewide scores or by staying the same as last year, according to data released by ACT Inc. SREB states held their own even as more than 29,000 additional students took the test than in 2007. Nearly half of the increase was among racial/ethnic minority students — a signal that more minority students are pursuing college.

Some SREB states consider shorter school weeks, report shows

8/8/08

With the weakened economy, the suggestion of four-day school weeks — with students attending school more hours each day — is surfacing again in some states. SREB’s new Focus on the School Calendar report examines alternative calendars in several states and the challenges and benefits of four-day school weeks. While the need to balance state budgets is real, the report notes that the emphasis on improving student achievement should continue to be central to state-level decisions affecting schools.