Released May 23, “The Condition of Education 2013”—the latest in an annual series of reports from NCES, a branch of the U.S. Department of Education—is chock full of valuable statistics for policy makers and education leaders. Here are seven findings of particular significance for K-12 education.

1. Public school enrollment is projected to increase by 7 percent from 2010-11 to 2021-22.

From school years 2010-11 through 2021-22, public elementary and secondary school enrollment is projected to increase by 7 percent overall, from 49.5 to 53.1 million students. But changes will vary widely across states, ranging from a projected increase of 22 percent in Alaska to a decrease of 15 percent in the District of Columbia.

In grades preK-8, enrollment is projected to increase by more than 20 percent in Alaska, Nevada, Arizona, and Washington but decrease by 11 and 13 percent, respectively, in the District of Columbia and West Virginia. Enrollment in grades 9-12 is expected to increase by more than 20 percent in Texas, while enrollment in these grades in the District of Columbia is projected to decrease by 20 percent or more.

2. The percentage of students living in poverty has risen sharply.

The percentage of students living in poverty in the United States rose sharply in the last decade, from 15 percent in 2000 to 21 percent in 2011, according to NCES data. This rise comes after a decade in which the percentage of students living in poverty had declined, from 17 percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 2000.

Contact: Dave Gladney Lauren Burke
AEP KEH Communications
dgladney@AEPweb.org lauren@kehcomm.com
302-295-8348 410-975-9638

AEP to host two LRMI sessions during ISTE

Concurrent session and Birds-of-a-Feather Roundtable will better inform attendees of LRMI efforts to improve online education search results

WILMINGTON, DE, May 23, 2013 – The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) will host a concurrent session, The New Age of (Web) Discovery: New Resource Metadata Standards, and a Birds-of-a-Feather Roundtable, LRMI: The Dewey Decimal System for the Digital Age, during the 2013 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in San Antonio, Texas. Both sessions will focus on the Learning Resource Metadata Initiative (LRMI),
a project co-led by AEP and Creative Commons to create and encourage implementation of a metadata markup standard for educational resources. An extension of Schema.org, the LRMI aims to improve Internet search results for the education community.

The concurrent session focusing on how the LRMI will impact education stakeholders such as PreK-12 superintendents, chief technology officers, curriculum specialists, district specialists, educators, and school board members will be held on Monday, June 24, from 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Panelists will share LRMI background and tangible examples of how LRMI metadata will improve the discoverability of educational content and learning resources. Additionally, publishers will discuss how they make use of the LRMI standard and their expectations for how it will improve access to resources. An educator will also explain how she is creating and interacting with LRMI metadata and the role it plays in addressing diverse student needs and Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Panelists will include: Michael Jay, president of Educational Systemics; Roger Rosen, president of Rosen Publishing; Christin Sauca, a district data specialist and math teacher; and Marti Heyman, executive director of Metadata Standards and Services at Cengage Learning.

On Tuesday, June 25, from 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., the Birds-of-a-Feather Roundtable will delve deeper into issues surrounding the LRMI specification as content curators begin implementation. The discussion will focus on e-learning, gaming, and developing and locating digital content or learning objects. PreK-12 professional developers, curriculum specialists, and district specialists will specifically find this session beneficial; however, anyone interested in making educational resources more discoverable is welcome. Discussion leaders include Michael Jay and Dave Gladney, LRMI project manager at AEP.

“ISTE is by far one of the most influential conferences in EdTech and is the perfect event for us to further inform education leaders about the LRMI, a project, that once implemented fully, will dramatically improve the Internet search experience for students and teachers,” said Gladney.

Those interested in attending either session are strongly encouraged to RSVP to Dave Gladney at dgladney@aepweb.org. Media interested in being part of the discussions can RSVP to Lauren@kehcomm.com.

To learn more about the LRMI and to sign up for the monthly LRMI newsletter for more project updates, visit www.lrmi.net.

About The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP)
The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) is a nonprofit organization that serves and advances the industry of supplemental educational publishing. The membership of AEP represents the breadth of educational content developers delivering progressive educational products in all media and for any educational setting.

AEP’s thought leadership and market insight have created ground-breaking opportunities for its members to collaborate, network, and partner with each other as well as to acquire a voice in the development of government education policy. Founded in 1895, AEP now assists its members in navigating the global realities of educational publishing in the 21st Century. For more information, please visit www.AEPweb.org.

LaunchPad™ iOS & Touch Apps deliver a personal cloud desktop to your tablet or handheld. Access from these mobile devices allows schools to provide the same learning experience to all students regardless of device type. Whether using an Android, Apple or Windows mobile device, students have fast and easy access to all their school resources.

“It’s a great honor to have ClassLink nominated as a CODiE finalist in four categories and recognized as a CODiE award winner for the second year in a row. This year’s win for the Best Cloud Application Service is extra special to our team. With LaunchPad iOS & Touch Apps we have improved access to resources for our many education partners, which in turn improves learning and collaboration,” said Berj Akian, ClassLink CEO. “We thank the judges for their recognition and endorsement of ClassLink.”

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, announced ClassLink’s win as one of 27 CODiE Award winners in software categories. An SIIA CODiE Award win for software companies is an especially prestigious honor as each award winner was first reviewed by a field of software industry executives, whose evaluations determined 100 finalists. SIIA members then reviewed these finalists and voted to select 27 CODiE Awards Winners.

“SIIA’s 2013 Software CODiE Award winners show that innovation and growth is alive in many areas of the software industry,” said SIIA Vice President for the Software Division Rhianna Collier. “Among the 27 winners, you’ll find the many of the most exciting software products and services on the market today.”

To learn more about LaunchPad LaunchPad iOS & Touch Apps visit: www.classlink.com/launchpad

About ClassLink
ClassLink is a leading provider of cloud-based education products and services that connect teachers and students with their classroom, their curriculum and each other in richer, more powerful ways. Founded in 1998, ClassLink’s mission is to empower educators to improve learning through innovative systems and services.
ClassLink LaunchPad™ is a personal cloud desktop that provides people with personalized access to all of their applications and files from any device at any time. LaunchPad is ideal for 1to1 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives. LaunchPad includes an innovatively simple cloud desktop and an empowering instructional desktop. With more and different devices showing up in the classrooms today, everyone wanting 24/7 access, and schools needing to keep costs low, a different approach is needed and quick.

ClassLink OnTrack ™Empower your curriculum team with an online curriculum designer and lesson planner that brings together differentiated instruction and alignment to the Common Core standards.

ClassLink ClassMate® The only student administration and curriculum management system designed for unique schooling environments.
ClassLink, LaunchPad, OnTrack and ClassMate are trademarks of ClassLink.

ClassLink — the future of instructional technology
For more information, visit www.ClassLink.com
Call 888-963-7550 or email info@ClassLink.com

“Time and time again, we have seen the selfless generosity of our customers, our associates, and caring people from all over the world who rally for tragic causes just like this,” said Kitty Heise, co-owner of Mackin Educational Resources. “We are a company of service-oriented people and have relationships with companies and people all over the globe that share the same sentiments.”

About Funds4Books
An arm of Mackin Educational Resources, Funds4Books is a truly unique organization that guarantees 100% of every dollar is used for the purchase of books for schools and school libraries to assist during the recovery after tragic events. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.funds4books.com.

About Mackin Educational Resources
Mackin Educational Resources has provided library and classroom materials to PK-12 schools for nearly 30 years. Known for its high commitment to customer care and customization, Mackin provides print books, eBooks, online databases, audiobooks, video resources and more to schools across the country and around the globe. Learn more about Mackin Educational Resources by visiting www.mackin.com or contacting them at 800-245-9540 – where every phone call is always answered in person and true customer service still exists.

– Students earn scholarships as they explore civic responsibility as part of the academic process –

– Middle school classrooms receive free, standards-based curriculum and multimedia tools to support development of research, communication and problem-solving skills –

Silver Spring, Md. (May 23, 2013) — Belk, Discovery Education and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) announced today the winners of the first ever Belk Service Learning Challenge. Designed to support educators, and based on research that students who participate in service learning initiatives demonstrate improved problem-solving skills and increased interest in academics, the challenge encourages middle school students to help improve their communities through undertaking a service-learning project of their choice.

Opened to all middle school students in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, N.C., Columbia, S.C., and Jackson, Miss, student teams worked with the support and guidance of a teacher/mentor to identify a community issue and create an action plan to solve the problem.

The grand prize winning team receives a $1,000 scholarship per student team member and a $250 teacher award. The second place team receives a $500 scholarship per student team member and a $100 teacher award. The winning teams also receive Belk prize packs for each student team member and teacher. All will be celebrated with a Belk in-store “service learning event” in the fall of 2013 showcasing the winning projects as well as kicking off the 2014 challenge.

“The Belk Service Learning Challenge and other programs that encourage students to identify problems within their schools and/or local communities are extremely valuable in the classroom because students become active participants in solving problems which will not only benefit them, but the entire school community,” said Kimberly Davenport, Principal, Main Street Restart Center, Hinds County Mississippi School District. “With programs like this, students are empowered and understand that they can make a difference in this world.”

The winners include:

North Carolina

1st Place:
Team: Student Advance Team from Neuse Christian Academy
Location: Raleigh, NC
Project Description: Working with Burmese (Karen) refugees in their area to help them with basic living needs and then help them find jobs.

2nd Place:
Team: Farm Swarm from John W. Ligon Middle School
Location: Raleigh, NC
Project Description: Embarking on a mission to change the lives of young girls through a day of fun self-esteem and friendship building activities.

South Carolina

1st Place:
Team: SAMS- Cheerleaders from St. Andrews Middle School
Location: Columbia, SC
Project Description: Performing random acts of kindness to spread cheer. Activities include a clothing drive, spa day for young girls in a battered women’s shelter, and Easter Egg hunt at a local day care facility.

2nd Place:
Team: McIntyres Mustangs from Muller Road Middle School
Location: Blythewood, SC
Project Description: Created “Students for Charity” organization to help needy members in the community one project at a time.

Mississippi

1st Place:
Team: The Eagles from Main Street Restart Center
Location: Bolton, Mississippi
Project Description: Created a plan to fight obesity in their state and community for all ages involving teachers and volunteers.

Providing student teams a second layer of support, a dynamic online destination at BelkServiceLearningChallenge.com anchors the Challenge and equips middle school classrooms with free, standards-based service-learning curriculum, including lesson plans and multimedia tools.

“What an honor it is to see these middle school students identify local needs and then create programs that will strengthen their communities,” said Jessica Graham, Belk vice president. “At Belk getting involved and giving back are a part of our core values, and we hope that these students will leave this experience with a similar commitment.”

“Through their creative service learning projects, these amazing middle school students are making tremendous contributions to their communities while building valuable critical thinking and collaboration skills,” said ISTE CEO Brian Lewis. “ISTE is proud to honor them for their commitment to changing their communities and, as a result, making the world a better place for all of us.”

For more information on the Belk Service Learning Challenge or to view the free classroom resources, please visit BelkServiceLearningChallenge.com.

About Belk, Inc.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk, Inc. (belk.com) is the nation’s largest family owned and operated department store company with 301 Belk stores located in 16 Southern states and a growing digital presence. Founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, N.C., the company is in the third generation of Belk family leadership and has been committed to community involvement since its inception. Each year, Belk gives a portion of its pretax income back to the communities it serves. In fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2013, the company and its associates, customers and vendors, donated more than $19 million to those communities. Belk.com offers a wide assortment of national brands and private label fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a large selection of quality merchandise for the home. To connect with Belk go to Belk Get Connected.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content that supports the implementation of Common Core, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Available in over half of all U.S. schools, community colleges and in 50 countries around the world, Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that accelerate academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Explore the future of education atwww.discoveryeducation.com.

About ISTE
ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in advancing excellence in learning and learning through the innovative and effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. Home to ISTE’s annual conference and exposition and the widely-adopted NETS, ISTE represents more than 100,000 professionals worldwide.

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• Drive Thru History series: Dave Stotts is back to connect the dots between historical events similar to the way Bill Nye connects scientific concepts. Ten new programs from this award winning series explore the ancient world by visiting sites such as the Coliseum, Pantheon, and more!
• 50 Inventions that Shook the World: These 50 new programs bring STEM topics together with history and pop culture to help students see how the invention came about and how it impacts their day-to-day lives.
• Major Decision series: Two energetic hosts share 20 careers for tomorrow’s workforce. Explore a “day-in-the-life” of a digital animator, biomedical engineer, architect, and more.
• The Complete BBC Shakespeare Collection: Bring Shakespeare’s plays to life with the BBC Shakespeare Collection. These live action plays feature top actors including Helen Mirren, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and Alan Rickman. Also included are 12 Animated Shakespeare Tales, adapted for younger audiences and great for introducing or reviewing Shakespeare in high school!
• Great Human Achievements series: 9 new programs introduce the world’s greatest achievers and their contributions. These innovators challenged the limits of science, medicine, travel, communication, and even the society in which they lived!

“I’m really excited about our new programming this year,” said Melissa Moreland, Vice President of Acquisitions & Program Development for New Dimension Media. “These programs are great examples of how we can promote creativity and innovation with students across subject areas.”
For more information, contact NDM’s Melissa Moreland at 312.397.2151 or mmoreland@cccstreaming.com.

About CCC! Streaming Media: Founded in 1978, CCC! Streaming Media, a division of Questar, Inc., has been the K-12 content leader and premier producer and distributor of original core curriculum media content for over 30 years. Every week, over 5 million students and educators view NDM programs through streaming, online, packaged media, or other channels. NDM programs have won over 100 of the industry’s most prestigious honors, including the CINE Golden Eagle, the Golden Apple, and an Academy Award. NDM content is used in thousands of schools around the country. CCC! can be streamed or downloaded to Android devices and by early 2012 to Apple devices. In 2011, Scholastic Administr@tor named CCC! a “Best in Tech 2011.” For more information, go to www.cccvod.com.

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Name:

What is it? A colorful illustrated puzzle and exploration app. Dave dares to do anything, such as climb the highest mountain, sleep in the dark, ride his bike, take a bath, and more. But Dave also loses a lot of things when he’s playing and needs help to find all of them. Let children use their imagination to complete the story. By using this app, a child can learn many new objects, as well as work on vocabulary.

Best for: Kids age 3 and up. Good for pre-schoolers.

Price: $2.99

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5; Requires Android 2.3 and up.

Rated: 4+

Features:

• Colorful illustrations and fun animations.
• Use your finger to find the hidden objects.
• Extra gameplay modes, such as play in the dark and play with the timer.
• Learn over more than 250 words and objects.
• Train the hand eye coordination which is beneficial for their cognitive development.
• 3 Spoken languages (English, Dutch, German) and more being added soon.

Links: [Apple] https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dave-daring/id596731748?mt=8

[Android] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fantazm.davedaring&hl=en

These five schools and districts are modeling ed-tech success.

Many schools have learning technologies and ed-tech tools. But what sets exemplary schools apart is how they use those technologies.

Below are five schools, listed in alphabetical order, that are taking teaching and learning to the next level by leveraging ed-tech and learning technologies to boost student engagement and staff productivity. An ed-tech specialist or administrator from each school describes the school’s accomplishments.

1. Adrian Public Schools, Michigan
Christopher J. Timmis, Superintendent

The district is implementing a 1:1 iPad initiative at the high school that includes the creation of a custom app, Virtual Locker. We use iPads, iPod Touches, TI-Nspires, SMART Boards, document cameras, and mobile tablet devices to improve our ability to deliver instruction under the Adrian Instructional Model. In many grade levels, we use blended learning models with Waterford and SuccessMaker. In grades 5-8, every student is part of Project Lead the Way, which blends technology with project-based engineering work. We operate a virtual school that uses e2020 and GradPoint. We are also one of only four districts in the world (one of two in the U.S.) participating in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Open World Schools Pilot, offering online courses to any student, anywhere in the world, regardless of whether or not they attend an IB school.

(Next page: Four more ed-tech leaders)

There has to be more to this massive investment than introducing new tools, only to end up with same work.

Read the full story