Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/485425
March 2015 isea.org • ISEA Communiqué 2 BRIEFS NEWS LEADING THE COUNTRY Iowa leads the country in the percent of students under the age of 18 who are enrolled in public 2-year colleges. Nationally, the largest group of students (22.7 percent) enrolled in 2-year colleges were 18 and 19 years old, according to data collected by the United States Department of Education. In Iowa, community colleges, 18 and 19 year old students comprised the second largest age group. The largest group is students under 18, or 28.2 percent of total enrollment. Quick STAT Source: US Department of Education PERCENT OF STUDENTS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE ENROLLED IN PUBLIC TWO COLLEGES, FALL 2013 30 25 20 15 10 IA ND UT LA NY KS AR AZ WY VA 5 0 Brad Buck To Leave DOE Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck will leave the department to become superintendent of the Cedar Rapids School District. "As a native of Cedar Rapids and a proud graduate of Jefferson High School, I'm thrilled to return to my hometown in this role. It's clear to me that this is a school district that is committed to innovation and a vision of 'Excellence for All,' and I stand ready to be an integral part of delivering on that vision," Buck said in a statement when his hiring was announced. According to KCRG-TV, the district and Buck agreed to a three-year contract which pays Buck $229,000 in the first year. His salary will be renegotiated for the two subsequent years. Buck earned $150,000 a year as DOE director, which is a gubernatorial appointment subject to Senate approval. Buck begins his new duties for Cedar Rapids on July 1. Digibook for ESPs The National Education Association Educational Support Professional Quality Department released a digital book, or "digibook," on how to use whole child strategies to support, engage and challenge students. It's the first time the NEA has released such a volume. It can be found online at nea.org/ espwholestudent. The e-publication is the result of collaboration between NEA and ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development). It highlights the work of education professionals across the country who adopted the whole child philosophy into their teaching. Library of Congress Teacher in Residence Sought Library of Congress is seeking applications from current K-12 teachers or library/media specialists for a Science Teacher-In-Residence and an Audio-Visual Teacher-In-Residence for the 2015-16 school year. The Library of Congress Teacher-in-Residence program is designed to give the selected educators a unique professional development experience – a year at the Library in Washington, D.C., working side by side with staff, contributing to K-12 education programs and materials, advising on outreach to teachers and helping to uncover and make visible primary sources in the Library's collections. The program description and application details for both positions can be found at www.loc.gov/ teachers/newsevents/ teacher-in-residence/. Applications are due Tuesday, April 7. Protecting Student Data The Consortium for School Networking and the Data Quality Campaign in conjunction with the National Education Association and 28 other education organizations published a guide to help protect student data. The "10 Principals to Guide the Use and Protection of Student Data" was developed with input from leading organizations representing teachers, parents, students, principals, administrators, state boards of education, technology officers and others. "Educators will only gain the trust of parents and families if student information is used responsibly, ethically and only when necessary to benefit students. This is a very important effort by the education community to work together to articulate core beliefs and a commitment to building transparency and trust," Keith Krueger, CEO of the Consortium for School Networking, said in a news release. Some highlights: 1. Student data should be used to further and support student learning and success. 2. Student data are most powerful when used for continuous improvement and personalizing student learning. 3. Student data should be used as a tool for informing, engaging, and empowering students, families, teachers, and school system leaders. 4. Students, families, and educators should have timely access to information collected about the student. 5. Student data should be used to inform and not replace the professional judgment of educators. More information on all 10 guiding principles is available at studentdataprinciples.org Iowa Teacher of the Year Nominations Sought The Iowa Department of Education is seeking nominations for Iowa Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year serves as an ambassador to education and as a liaison to primary and secondary schools, higher education and organizations across the state. Clemencia Spizzirri, a Des Moines Education Association member and middle-school Spanish teacher at Merrill Middle School, was named the 2015 Teacher of the Year. Nomination forms can be found at the Teacher of the Year webpage: www.educateiowa.gov/pk-12/ award-exchange-programs/iowa-teacher-year-toy. The nomination deadline is April 25, 2015.