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News Roundup: California ARRA Reporting, NAEP Math Scores, E-Rate, Afterschool Programs, Drop-Out Factories

October 14, 2009

• ARRA first quarter reports data are available, on where and how the economic stimulus funding for education is being used. California Department of Education has provided statistics. The Inspector General has issued a Memorandum to the U.S. Department of Education regarding use of State Fiscal Stabilization Funds to fill budget holes as states cut public education funding.
   
• The “Nation’s Report Card” 2009 Mathematics NAEP scores for U.S. 8th and 4th graders, was released on October 14, 2009. Eighth graders’ scores in math are up two points since 2007. Fourth graders’ scores are unchanged since 2007.
   
• Senate Commerce Committee Chairman, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, has asked the FCC to raise the current “cap” on E-Rate funds for schools and libraries, to provide more funds for affordable access to advanced telecommunications and increased access for more schools and libraries, to online teaching and learning resources.
   
• U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES) released its final report evaluating “enhanced” afterschool programs for students in grades 2-5. Special math and reading materials were developed and used in some of the study’s participating schools. No student achievement gains were found with the “enhanced” reading materials. The “enhanced” math program had success in year one but not year 2 of the study.
   
• Johns Hopkins University’s Everyone Graduates Center, has identified about 2000 struggling high schools which produce over 50% of U.S. high school dropouts. They call these high schools “dropout factories.” There are some of these schools in every state. These data provide a virtual “marketing plan” for companies that have supplemental resources/instructional materials for secondary school students, especially those who are low performing. Secretary Duncan has called for targeting resources to these types of schools. Read the policy brief, "Prioritizing the Nation’s Dropout Factories," from the Alliance for Excellent Education.
  

Read more details in the Legislative Update from Education Legislative Services.

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