SDI, Inc. and New York City Department of Education Extend Essential Materials to Non-Public Schools

SDI, Inc., a leader in digital supply chain services and solutions, and the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) are expanding upon a 20 year partnership to extend cleaning, maintenance and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) materials to non-public schools.

“This expansion is about protecting people, and creating a sustainable solution that serves the needs of all students, faculty and staff,” said Kelly Kleinfelder, Chief Information Officer & SVP, Information Technology at SDI. “SDI is eager to extend the supply chain we’ve built over 20 years with NYCDOE, ensuring every institution is able to access the materials they need, when they need them.”

Non-public institutions in New York will receive access to the same materials and pricing as New York’s public schools, including cleaning and maintenance supplies and PPE. District and school leaders can leverage SDI’s digital catalog to order materials as needed from a growing list of options. SDI is currently integrating its technology system with NYCDOE to ensure compliance and interoperability.…Read More

Rhode Island Department of Ed Names Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready® an Approved Interim Assessment

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) recently named Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready Diagnostic as an approved interim assessment for the 2020–2021 school year. Now, local education agencies (LEAs) across the state will have access to the award-winning online program for students in Grades K–12 as well Curriculum Associates’ accompanying professional development to support educators as they work to improve student achievement in both reading and mathematics. Today, the i-Ready program serves more than eight million students and approximately 25 percent of all K–8 students in the United States.

“RIDE naming i-Ready Diagnostic to this list further validates the use of our assessment by our many school partners in the state,” said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. “And, it allows us to serve even more educators in Rhode Island to meet their assessment needs, as well as provide them with both practical and effective professional learning to support their ongoing instruction.”

In response to the current pandemic requiring flexibility in how learning takes place, RIDE sought to provide LEAs with high-quality, computer-based interim assessments in English language arts and mathematics to support the measurement of student learning progress at certain points throughout the year, as well as to diagnose learning gaps and inform teachers where students need additional supports. After a rigorous review, i-Ready Diagnostic was named one of the chosen assessments for meeting RIDE’s assessment criteria.…Read More

Curriculum Associates’ Ready® Classroom Mathematics Receives Highest Rating

Curriculum Associates’ Ready Classroom Mathematics program for Grades K–5 recently received a Tier 1 rating by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE). This highest rating from the LDOE, which was given after a comprehensive, educator-led review process, signifies the instructional program “exemplifies quality” and “meets all non-negotiable criteria and scored the best possible on all indicators of superior quality.”

The LDOE leads online reviews of instructional materials to support school districts across the state in making their own local, high-quality purchasing decisions. The tiered reviews describe the instructional materials’ degree of alignment with state content standards, which enables each local school system to determine if the use of the materials is appropriate to meet the educational needs of their students. Ratings are based on elements such as the focus, coherence, rigor, alignment, and quality of the materials.

“This highest rating from the Department signifies the power of Ready Classroom Mathematics in helping students gain conceptual understanding, develop a high degree of procedural skill and fluency, and apply the knowledge learned in and out of the classroom,” said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. “Regardless of where the teaching and learning is taking place, we look forward to supporting educators throughout the state of Louisiana this year and beyond as they help students make gains in math.”…Read More

9 ways to create better makerspaces

Makerspaces and maker culture have quickly become a favorite of STEAM advocates, and new research shows that makerspaces can be highly effective at helping elementary students develop skills such as critical thinking, design thinking, and problem solving.

Research from Macquarie University in Australia demonstrates how, with proper training and professional development, teachers can harness makerspaces and improve teaching and learning outcomes.

From August 2017 to July 2018, Macquarie University’s Department of Educational Studies partnered with the NSW Department of Education, Carlingford West Public School, Parramatta East Public School, Oatlands Public School and Makers Empire, which produces a 3D platform for K-8 educators, for a research study on maker pedagogy and makerspaces in primary schools.…Read More

3 ways to improve special education outcomes

When you combine a steady growth in the number of students receiving special education services with rising expectations for the educators who serve these students, all of whom have very diverse needs, you get a “perfect storm” of challenges for K-12 leaders.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 6.6 million students in U.S. public schools—or 13 percent—received some form of special education services during the 2014-15 school year, and this number is on the rise. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the percentage of children diagnosed with a developmental disability rose from 5.76 percent in 2014 to 6.99 percent in 2016—and the number of students diagnosed with ADHD increased from 4.4 million in 2003 to 6.1 million in 2016.

As the number of students who qualify for special education services continues to climb, the high bar for the standard of education for these students has been reiterated by the Supreme Court. In the landmark case, Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, the Court affirmed that school systems must be “appropriately ambitious” in designing an individualized education program (IEP) that meets the needs of every child with a disability.…Read More

As expected, Trump’s education budget prioritizes school choice

President Donald Trump on May 23 released details of his proposed FY 2018 education budget, which adamantly supports school choice and slashes funding for other major education programs and initiatives.

Under the education budget proposal, the Department of Education would see a 13 percent decrease in funding, down $9 billion to $59 billion in discretionary funding.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos called the budget a “historic investment in America’s students,” noting that Trump is focused on giving more power back to states.…Read More

In the marketplace: Gaming, digital citizenship, PD initiatives, and more

Remaining a tech-savvy educator means keeping on top of the myriad changes and trends in education, how technology can support those trends, and how teaching and learning can best benefit from near-constant change.

Below, we’ve gathered some of the latest and most relevant marketplace news to keep you up-to-date on product developments, teaching and learning initiatives, and new trends in education.

Teq, a Long Island-based educational technology and professional development (PD) company, has received approval from the New York State Department of Education to provide Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE). Teq Online PD offers educators unlimited access to over 200 live and archived professional development sessions focused on the effective integration of technology into instruction. There are certification tracks on Google, Microsoft, Apple, SMART, among other topics, like online assessment, STEM, ELA, Math, Social Studies, and PBL. All of these courses and certifications are now CTLE approved. Read more.…Read More

3 challenges to OER implementation

Open educational resources (OER) have made their presence known in education, with teachers and administrators voicing their excitement over free resources that are easily shared and adapted.

In fact, the movement has grown so much that it has received federal attention. The U.S. Department of Education’s #GoOpen campaign encourages states, school districts and educators to use open educational resources.

The Department is proposing a regulation that would require all copyrightable intellectual property created with ED grant funds to have an open license.…Read More

S.C. districts access digital literacy tools for free

To empower students in school districts across South Carolina with digital literacy skills, Learning.com announced the Palmetto Digital Literacy Program (PDLP), in partnership with the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee and Department of Education.

The initiative will help prepare students for college and career success by offering access to a comprehensive digital literacy skills curriculum and provide teachers and students with assessments that can identify technology challenges.

“The importance of a strong skillset in digital literacy and safety in our modern global society has never been higher,” said South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “I look forward to this collaborative partnership and the complementary resources to our current computer science programs that will be provided to students so that they can be successful upon graduation.”…Read More