From Jane Beach at Parents for Public Schools (PPS)

Jane Beach puts these very informative links together very often. There is always good information.

August 15, 2008
(Some links are time-sensitive and may change or expire.
If you unable to access a link, contact the PPS Clearinghouse for assistance.
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THIS WEEK'S TOPICS INCLUDE:
Parent involvement
Public opinion of public schools
Vouchers
Middle school students
Expanded school schedule




The Overall Benefit of Parent Involvement in Education
A recent Science Daily article describes a study of parent involvement conducted by an economist at the University of New Hampshire and her colleague from a research consulting firm. Their findings, which frame parent involvement in terms of school-level economic benefits, confirm the positive association between parent involvement and student academic outcomes.


SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS - A new opinion poll by Harvard University indicates that the public has a more critical view of public schools and many reforms designed to improve them, compared to a similar survey last year. Support for No Child Left Behind has slipped and a considerable portion of those surveyed remain undecided about charter schools.
http://www.ecs.org/00CN4012



Parents must have choices on their children's education
Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA
Instead of worrying about what would happen to the public schools if vouchers were available, the moral question to ask is, what will happen to children ...


FOR NEW TEACHERS: THE ORGANIZED MIDDLE SCHOOLER NOTE: good tips for parents also!
http://snipurl.com/organized_ms
Little wonder new middle schoolers are so disorganized, wrote Laurie Wasserman in this 2007 "Teaching Secrets" essay at the Teacher Magazine website. Most "have spent their first five years of school with a single teacher for the majority of the day." When they enter middle school "they are given a combination lock, a hallway locker, a homeroom, and a schedule that often has four or more subject-area teachers...This is where the child with significant organizational challenges becomes both overwhelmed and frustrated." Wasserman, a sixth grade special ed teacher who works with ADD/ADHD students, offers some ideas for building an "organized" middle schooler. (We're recycling this resource with all our new-teacher subscribers in mind. Teacher Magazine will begin a new series of "Secrets" next week. Meanwhile you can find more 2007 articles at our new-teacher page: http://snipurl.com/NewTeacherResources)



EXPANDED LEARNING - Two reports by the Center for American Progress explore expanded learning time for students. One report examines more than 300 extended learning initiatives in high-poverty and high-minority schools and districts. The other provides a framework for policymakers and practitioners to identify the key cost components involved in expanding learning time for schools.
http://www.ecs.org/00CN4011



Jane Beach
Clearinghouse Director
Parents for Public Schools, Inc.
200 N. Congress St - 5th Floor
(p) 601/969-6936
(f) 601/969-6041
800/880-1222
www.parents4publicschools.org

All I can add is, thank you Jane and thank you PPS.