Teaching Science: For Students and Teachers

According to an article in The Sacramento Bee, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes $33 million in stimulus monies to develop paid research positions in the sciences. For the next two summers, these positions will be available for university students and science teachers. The Sacramento Bee states, “the goal is to fuel the economy with new jobs while supporting innovations in alternative energy and new medical cures.”

Science teachers from all grades, from high school all the way down to elementary school, are taking advantage of this summer research opportunity.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Anchorage School District Banks on Preschool to Boost Graduation Rates

With an eye towards boosting high school graduation rates, the Anchorage School District plans for its share of stimulus funding include adding preschool. According to a June 25 editorial in the Anchorage Daily News, the district “will begin offering preschool classes in parts of town with the biggest need, and where there are schools with space available.” In the editorial, schools Superintendent Carol Comeau notes that “some children head down the path toward eventually dropping out during their pre-school and kindergarten years.”

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Let’s Keep the Juggernaut Rolling

It seems like everyone wants targeted pre-K for poor kids, now that all kids might get it. Case in point – Chester Finn’s inaccurate and exaggerated attack on those who seek a high quality education for all of America’s children in Reroute the Preschool Juggernaut. Finn builds a case for targeted programs based on errors, exaggeration, misrepresentation and logical inconsistency relying heavily on Bruce Fuller’s similarly inaccurate attack for his “facts.” Rather than putting the whole jigsaw puzzle together, he selects just a few pieces from which to draw his conclusions.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.

Capitalizing on the Stimulus: A Rare Opportunity That Calls for Creative Thinking

We want your ideas!! There are many ways early education can capitalize on the billions being made available in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and State Education Agencies (SEAs) have access to a number of funding streams to further efforts that include professional development, quality improvement, program expansion and infrastructure development, just to name a few. Doing so, however, requires creative thinking, an assessment of need and an understanding of the avenues ARRA makes available, and stipulations for each.

Please visit National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for the complete blog post.