CUBE Edge 10-15-08

CUBE
Council of Urban Boards of Education

October 15, 2008

News and Resources on Urban Education

Welcome!

What is Urban Edge?
Urban Edge is a service that provides CUBE districts with relevant information to help your awareness 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.

From Washington... 

Another Look at the Election
With just a few weeks to go before election day, this is one of our last chances to look at the candidate's positions on education.  Due to the financial crisis, education is not getting the press coverage it deserves.  Two national media outlets have recently compared McCain's and Obama's positions on education-we hope education comes up as a topic in the final debate tonight.  
Link to NPR's All Things Considered 10/5/08
Link to USA Today 10/14/08

E-rate Discounts will add Web Safety Requirement

If your district receives e-rate discounts on telecommunications and internet access, you will also be required to teach students about web safety.  Both the House and the Senate have approved the bill and President Bush is expected to sign it into law.  The bill stems from a two year attempt to protect children from on-line chat rooms and other areas where predators exist.  Since many attempts at a 'silver bullet' to solve the safety problem by filtering content does not work in schools, educating children was the logical next step.  
Link to eschoolnews 10/13/08 

News from CUBE Districts

Brownsville Recognized Again
Brownsville Independent School District in Texas was awarded the Broad Prize for Urban Education.  Just two weeks after receiving the CUBE Award for Urban School Board Excellence, the news was announced yesterday in New York City.  Brownsville was one of five finalists for the Broad Prize, including CUBE districts Miami-Dade and Broward County in Florida, and will receive a million dollars in scholarship money for graduating high school seniors.  As we covered in the last edition of the Urban Edge, their success is impressive.  
Broad Press Release 10/14/08
Award Edition of Urban Advocate 

Pittsburgh Promise goes beyond Tuition 
The Pittsburgh Promise, a program that gives up to $40,000 to individuals who graduate from Pittsburgh high schools just expanded where the money can go, including books, room fees, and meal plans.  This is an improvement over the way the plan formerly worked and should help more needy students.  The first group of 750 students using the plan are freshmen in college now, and most of the money for the Pittsburgh Promise comes from grants and outside organizations.
Link to Pittsburgh Post Gazette 10/8/08

Groundbreaking Virtual Schools for Florida 
Starting next year, a student in Florida will be able to go to school from kindergarten through 12th grade and never have to worry about getting to an actual school building.  Florida currently has some virtual schools, but will begin putting more emphasis on this model.  Other states have tried similar measures, and Palm Beach County
's virtual school principal justifies the idea by stating, "this is a new world, and children have different learning modalities."     
Link to Palm Beach Post 9/28/08

NSBA News

Election 2008 - Have you asked your congressional candidates what they plan to do for education?  Join us for a Webinar on Friday, October 17.  To register, click this link:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/219508982

Learn how to make an effective case for public education with your candidates.  NSBA created the Elect Education toolkit specifically to help school board members bring education to the forefront of the congressional campaigns in their states and districts.  Learn firsthand how to use the toolkit in your community and make your voice heard in this upcoming election.

School Board News has added a daily and weekly recap for your use.  Click here to find a brief summary on what's happening around the country in education.  

Meetings Minute

The CUBE Annual Conference in Las Vegas was a great success and we have posted all available content on CUBE's Conferences and Meetings web page.  All of CUBE's prior meeting materials are also available on line, in case you were not able to attend or need to cite something you read or heard at our meetings.

NSBA Annual is coming to San Diego--Housing Opens October 16th!
Click here to make housing reservations in the CUBE block at the Manchester Grand Hyatt online. This link will only allow you to make reservations in the CUBE block at the Manchester Grand Hyatt AFTER you register for the conference and receive your housing ID number. If you wish to stay at a different hotel for the conference, you must go through the regular housing link found on the NSBA Annual Conference website located at www.nsba.org./conference.
For a glimpse at what CUBE will be programming at NSBA Annual, 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.

ABOUT CUBE:
The CUBE program is the urban component of the National Affiliate program at NSBA.  Your district must be a member in good standing with your state school boards association to participate in CUBE.
CUBE Staff Katrina Kelley, Director, kkelley@nsba.org
Jessica Bonaiuto, Senior Manager, jbonaiuto@nsba.org
Kevin Scott, Membership Services Manager, kscott@nsba.org
Krista Freer, Coordinator, kfreer@nsba.org

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