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Welcome!
What is
Urban Edge?
Urban Edge is a new membership service that provides CUBE with relevant information to help your
district become aware of education issues around the
country. We will glean news sources, blogs, research studies, and NSBA's wide range of expertise for timely information that guides CUBE districts in making sound decisions.
Assessment
Assessing
D.C.
Schools Make Gains
With many eyes on the governance changes in Washington D.C.
schools over the last year, the latest round of
testing show that students are achieving at higher
levels. Students showed gains in both reading
and math, and while D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle
Rhee isn't taking all the credit, her innovative and
sometimes controversial governance structure
continues to be watched closely nationwide. The Washington Post
covered the test scores and Rhee's "Army of
Believers" in two recent articles.
Link
to Washington Post test scores 7/10/08
(free registration)
Link
to Washington Post hand picked principals 7/5/08
(free registration)
California
Will Test All 8th Graders in Algebra
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the
California Board of Education have decided that
within three years, all 8th graders will have to
take, and pass, algebra. Both Schwarzenegger and the
Board had put off making this decision for months,
but were forced to make a decision last week.
As expected, both teachers and students are upset
about the decision, with one struggling math student
saying, "You can't just say, 'Eighth-graders,
you're taking algebra.'"
Link
to L.A. Times Story 7/10/08
New
Studies for Your Summer Reading
The
Top 100
The National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) released a study examining the 100 largest
districts in the U.S. More than 40 of those in
the report are CUBE districts, and from coast to
coast, the data shows the dynamic impact the large
districts have on American public education.
One highlight from the report states, "The 100
largest public school districts, representing less
than 1 percent (0.6%) of all school districts in the
United States and its jurisdictions, were
responsible for the education of 23 percent of all
public school students."
Link
to NCES Report 6/08
Urban
Institute Report
The Urban Institute looked closely at
spending on children in the Federal budget and came
up with some startling conclusions. The
report, titled, "Kids' Share 2008: How Children
Fare in the Federal Budget" essentially shows
that spending is not keeping up with GDP growth and
without wholesale changes, spending will continue to
decrease. Two Urban Institute links are included below, one
for the entire report and the other for the one-page
highlights (determined by Urban Institute, not
CUBE).
Link
to Entire Report 7/2/08
Link
to Key Facts 7/2/08
Criticism
Leads to Solutions
HBO
Focuses on Baltimore
HBO's
The Wire focused on Baltimore City's public
schools in its fourth season and a new documentary, Hard
Times at Douglass High, looks at the issue of
staff development and how NCLB impacts students in
the district. In this editorial by the founder
of National Urban Alliance, Eric Cooper encourages
adults to be more active in urban education, or else
face failure on more than just standardized tests.
Link
to Baltimore Sun Story 7/11/08
Texas
Links Poor Fitness and High Poverty Levels
While some students are booked with physical
activities from sun-up to sundown, others are
sedentary most of the time. In Texas, a new
report links economics to activity levels of
students in schools. Although many districts
did not participate in the study, the Texas
Education Agency wants to focus closely on the issue
in coming years. "TEA is going to
scrutinize the school districts more...that forces
school districts to really collaborate with their
communities to make solutions for all these children
that are overweight."
Link
to Dallas Morning News Story 7/12/08
News
from the NSBA World
We need your help! Do you know someone who has
dedicated their life to educating urban
schoolchildren through school board
leadership? Was there an inspirational person
who encouraged you to get involved in public
education who happened to be a school board
member? If so, consider nominating them for
CUBE's Benjamin
Mays Lifetime Achievement Award.
A new benefit is available on NSBA's web site--TLN
Electronic School eZine. Each month Electronic
School will focus on one or two topics that the
education community is discussing. This month the
focus is on Cyberbullying and Internet
Safety.
To check it out, click here.
Meetings
Minute
Did you miss the CUBE Issues Seminar in Miami
last month? If so, we are in the process of
posting all of the materials that were in the
notebook, including press pieces, Power Points, and
any other handout we can possibly post on our web
site. As a matter of fact, we post ALL
electronic materials on our web site from prior conferences.
So if you missed something in person, you can see
what's available on CUBE's Conferences
and Meetings Page. Just scroll to
Resources and find the year you want to view.
And if you have a question, please let us
know!
Our next meeting will be the
CUBE
Annual Conference in September. We head to Las
Vegas to focus on 21st Century Learning and what it
means for urban students. Registration is open
now! For more information, click here.
Disclaimer
Links
on the Urban Edge are subject to change or
become inactive after a period of time. Please
be aware that CUBE has no control over links to
other organizations or entities.
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