Blog Archives

The Lowest Per Pupil Allocation in the Nation…

4/13/2015

-$113,000,000

On March 7, the Arizona State Legislature voted to pass a budget that will cut the state’s k-12 public education funding by $113 million. This news came as a shock to educators and parents in the state that already offers the lowest per pupil allocation in the nation, and consistently falls among the bottom ten states in national education rankings.

Surely the budget crunch will exacerbate the problems that plague Arizona’s classrooms, including large class sizes, lack of resources, and a severe shortage of qualified teachers.

Teacher Retention Project works closely with several community organizations that advocate for Arizona’s students and are working to improve the quality of public education. Expect More Arizona offers opportunities to stay informed and get involved. Visit www.expectmorearizona.org for more information.

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Preventing Summer Learning Loss

4/12/2015

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The summer months can be a scary time for teachers. Students who made progress during the school year will be at risk for summer learning loss, which can set them back several months in core subject areas, including reading and math. Students in low-income communities are at the greatest risk of academic regression during time away from school.

As teachers, what can we do to protect our students from the dangers of summer learning loss and ensure that they are as prepared as possible for the rigors of the coming school year?

Involve parents: Hold a parent meeting towards the end of the school year. Explain the dangers of summer learning loss and provide parents with resources and activities they can use at home.

Recommend community resources: Local libraries, museums, and community centers often offer free educational activities over summer break. Research what is available in your community, and share this information with students and parents.
Give out books: A brand new book is a great way to encourage students to read over summer break. There are a lot of free and low-cost resources available to teachers, especially at Title I schools. If you haven’t already signed up for First Book, visit www.firstbook.org and register to receive donations of brand new books for your students.
Set goals: Set goals for summer learning, (i.e. number of books read, minutes read, math problems solved, etc.), create a tracking system, and offer students a prize for reaching their summer learning goals. Reach out to teachers in the next grade level to coordinate prize distribution in the fall. You could also make this a competition!
Keep it fun: Remember that students want to have fun over summer, so try to avoid sending them home with a stack of worksheets to complete. Instead, provide them with educational games, creative writing projects, and experiential learning opportunities.

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Portfolio-Based Assessments: Capturing the Big Picture of Student Learning

4/3/2015

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Portfolio-based grading is on the rise in recent years, as teacher recognize its utility in measuring long-term growth. If you’ve considered implementing a portfolio-based assessment system in your classroom, here are some things you should know…

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Teacher Talk

The Lowest Per Pupil Allocation in the Nation…

-$113,000,000

Preventing Summer Learning Loss

Portfolio-Based Assessments: Capturing the Big Picture of Student Learning

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