March 31st. Bond Commission Agenda

The March agenda was just released: http://www.opm.state.ct.us/budget/Capital/SBCAgenda.htm, unfortunately, the $5M in Infrasructure funds was not on this month's agenda.

The next meeting is scheduled for April 28th.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills Releases National Report on High School Reform

High schools need a relentless focus on the results that matter for student success in the 21st century according to The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (the Partnership). The Partnership issued a new national report today, “Results That Matter: 21st Century Skills and High School Reform,” outlining a compelling framework for 21st century learning that focuses on the results that matter for today’s high school graduates. The report is available for free.

Grant Opportunity - for curricular reform and pd

The Braitmayer Foundation is interested in K-12 education throughout the United States. Of particular interest are:

* Curricular and school reform initiatives.
* Preparation of and professional development opportunities for teachers, particularly those which encourage people of high ability and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12 teaching.

The Foundation is pleased to have its grants used as seed money, challenge grants, or to match other grants to the recipient organizations. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals, multi year grants, nor grants for endowment purposes or building programs. Unless a small percentage of the total amount requested, normally the Foundation does not make grants for childcare, pre-kindergarten, or after school programs nor for equipment including hardware, software, and books.

For additional information...application process and dates - http://www.braitmayerfoundation.org/guid.htm.

LoTi soon to be free to all schools

SAN DIEGO, CA, March 15, 2006 As technology dollars become further strained nationwide, the National Business Education Alliance, a nonprofit organization in Carlsbad, CA, today announced that it has secured funding from one of its corporate partners, Penta Water,to provide access to the online *LoTi Lounge educational web portal for every public and private school in the nation commencing in Fall 2006. Access to LoTi Lounge will include the online DETAILS for the 21st Century Questionnaire, individual questionnaire results profiling personalized professional development needs based on five empirically-validated skillsets, and an extensive database of resources catalogued by grade level and subject area. This donation will continue the process of schools nationwide evaluating their instructional uses of technology for the purposes of improving student achievement tied to the initiatives set forth by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

*LoTi is a term referring to Dr. Christopher Moersch's Level of Technology Implementation Framework designed to accurately measure authentic classroom technology use.