News Desk (LD News: December 2006)

"30 Voices of LD" Competition
NCLD is looking for works of art, photography, poetry, videos, essays, short stories, websites, blogs, etc. that express what life is like for individuals with LD. Three $500 grand prizes will be awarded for outstanding works from each one of the following age groups: Children (Ages 4-13), Teens (Ages 14-17), and Adults (Ages 18 and older). Additional selected submissions will be showcased on our Web site and at our 30th Anniversary benefit. Submission deadline is February 7, 2007.

Anne Ford Scholarship Deadline Approaching (PDF, 7 pages)
The National Center for Learning Disabilities is once again calling for applications for our annual Anne Ford Scholarship, a $10,000 award given to a high school senior with an identified learning disability (LD) who is pursuing an undergraduate degree. All applications must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2006.

NCLD Joins Together with ETS to Host Transition to College Symposium
On October 3-4, 2006, ETS and the National Center for Learning Disabilities joined together to explore pressing issues regarding post-secondary transition for students with LD at the Addressing Achievement Gaps: Students with Learning Disabilities Transitioning from High School to College Symposium. This landmark conference brought together key experts and researchers in the field, as well as educators, college admissions professionals, advocates, parents, and students to address current postsecondary challenges and discuss solutions for student success going forward.

View a full summary of the symposium proceedings, and access informative presentations, essential resources and up-to-date research reports on this important topic at ld.org/ets.

Racial Segregation Lowers Student Achievement, Report Shows (PDF, 39 pages)
The Center for American Progress has released a report (Lost Learning and Forgotten Promises: A National Analysis of School Racial Segregation, Student Achievement, and "Controlled Choice" Plans) on the largest study ever conducted on the effects of racial segregation. The study indicates that African Americans and Hispanics who attend integrated schools seem to perform better in college than those who attend segregated schools.

Practice Vital Workforce Skills...by Playing Video Games 
Following the National Summit on Educational Games, a group of U.S. scientists has released a report discussing the benefits of complex video games, such as practice in strategic thinking, interpretive analysis, problem solving, and adaptation to rapid change -- skills that are increasingly desirable in the workforce by U.S. employers.

Preschool Attendance Has Decreased Since 1999
According to a report from the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of children aged three to five who attended center-based early childhood care and education decreased from 60 percent in 1999 to 57 percent in 2005. Differences in attendance were also reported according to the child's wealth, race, age, and mother's education and employment.

Google Launches Two New Web Sites
Last month at the Frankfurt Book Fair, Google launched a new Web site dedicated to literacy, "The Literacy Project." Through the site, you can find books, articles and videos about literacy, or start your own literacy or reading group. Google has also launched Google for Educators, a new site that offers guides and lesson plans utilizing current Google tools.

Not Enough Preschool Classrooms Working to Eliminate Learning Gaps
A recent study shows that learning gaps can be eliminated for children in high-quality pre-K classrooms, but that not enough -- only about 25 percent -- of programs provide strong enough instructional and emotional support from teachers.

Report Highlights Qualities of Successful High Schools (PDF, 21 pages)
In response to an increasing volume of reports discussing the ways in which many high schools are failing to retain students and prepare them for college or the workplace, the National High School Center has released a report highlighting successful high schools in hopes that the failing high schools might take these suggestions and improve the performance of their own programs.

One in Three Students to Complete College this Year (PDF, 7 pages) 
A new policy brief from the Education Commission of the States, Involving Families in High School and College Expectations, indicates that although four in five high school students expect to complete a college degree, fewer than one in three will obtain a degree. This report points to a lack of knowledge of college entrance requirements and poor preparation for college from the start of their high school careers as a cause of this drop-out rate.

National Instructional Materials Access Center Launched
On December 3, the National Instructional Materials Access Center, the national repository of publishers' electronic files of print instructional materials, began operations. Through the Center, materials in the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard format are made available for conversion into accessible textbooks for students with qualifying disabilities.

WWC Releases Reports on Early Childhood Education
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) has released two new intervention reports providing accessible and user-friendly information on early childhood education and elementary school math as part of an ongoing series. One report is on elementary school math, while the other is on early childhood education.

Discipline Focuses on the Positive
Jefferson Middle School in Champaign, Illinois, has employed a new approach called "nurtured heart" to manage their classrooms. Teachers focus on the good behavior and positive actions of students, strictly enforcing rules but putting little emphasis on negative behavior. Developed as a method of handling difficult students, "nurtured heart" has proven helpful for all students, targeting children's characters and building strong senses of self-esteem.