June 2009

Join peers from across the education spectrum to engage in essential discussions on the critical questions affecting education today and in the future.

Featured Video

46 States Join
Common Core State Standards Initiative

In an effort to increase the United States’ competitive edge in the global economy, governors and commissioners of education from 46 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia have signed the Common Core State Standards Initiative, thereby committing their states to establish a common core of standards in English language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. These standards will be research- and evidence-based, internationally benchmarked, aligned with college and work expectations, and include rigorous content and skills.

The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers are leading this initiative, with the College Board, Achieve, Inc. and ACT directly involved in drafting the standards. Building on recent efforts by states and other education organizations working to increase rigor and develop college-and career-ready standards, the initiative will ensure that these standards can be internationally benchmarked to top-performing countries around the world. The goal is to have a common core of state standards that states will voluntarily adopt.

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Connection is usually on summer hiatus this month and next, but important initiatives and developments are occurring so quickly that we decided a June update would be worthwhile to you.

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Advocacy

June 17, 2009

‘Words Have
No Borders’
New Writing Report Offers Voices on Immigration, Language and Culture

Students across the country put their immigrant and second-language experiences into words for a new report published in June by the College Board’s National Commission on Writing for America’s Families, Schools, and

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The College Board Sponsors New Projects to Build Robust College Counseling

The College Board’s National Office for School Counselor Advocacy has undertaken a series of projects that seek to identify the skills, practices, characteristics and relationships of school counselors, promoting a greater awareness of the importance and value of their role in advancing school reform and student achievement. These efforts share an objective to help prepare all students for college and build or support a college-going culture in all schools, with particular focus on raising the academic achievement and future options for underrepresented student groups and for schools with high populations of low-income and minority students.

Commentary

DREAM Act
Is a Small Investment with
a Large Return

By Rep. Mike Honda

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21st Century Scholarship
Covenant Offers
Students Hope

By Roger J. Thompson

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PROGRAMS AND SERVICES June 17, 2009 Focus on African American Students Conference Celebrates Success; Charts the Future

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES June 17, 2009 Building Nations Through Education Native American Student Advocacy Conference

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES June 17, 2009 AP® Chief Reader Wins National Geography Award

ADVOCACY Indiana University Covenant Offers Debt-Free Education