Final Title I School Improvement Grants Requirements Released

The Department of Education has released the final regulations and the application for the Title I School Improvement Grants. These grants will focus on turning around the lowest performing schools. States must identify three tiers of schools:

• Tier I – The lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools
• Tier II – Equally low-achieving secondary schools that are eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds
• Tier III – The remaining Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that are not Tier I schools in the state

Districts must then choose from one of four models to improve the school: Turnaround, Model, School Closure, and Transformational. AEP submitted comments asking the Dept. of Ed. to define “comprehensive instructional reform” to mean “improved instructional programs of one or more locally determined and coordinated interventions and resources as needed to provide enrichment for students.”

New Google Books Settlement Excludes Non-English Books From Proposed Digital Library

In September the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York indefinitely delayed the settlement between Google and the Authors Guild, the Association of American Publishers, and other plaintiffs due to criticism from other interested parties. Now, Google has issued a revised settlement meant to address the critics’ issues–specifically, for out-of-print books that are still under copyright but whose copyright holders cannot be found. First, responding to complaints from the European Union, Google Books will not include non-English orphan works. Second, copyright holders now have 10 years to claim their work.

New “Educate to Innovate” Campaign Focuses on STEM Education

On Monday, November 23 President Obama announced the “Educate to Innovate” Campaign for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (Stem) Education. While the initiative has no immediately actionable items for the educational publishing industry, it does further emphasize the administration’s commitment to promoting STEM education.

Graduation for All Act Includes Provisions Aimed at Instructional Materials

The House Democrats, led by Rep. George Miller, Chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, introduced The Graduation for All Act of 2009 (H.R. 4122). The Act would provide eligible school districts with $2 billion in competitive grants to help turn around their lowest-performing high schools, often deemed “dropout factories,” as well as struggling, feeder middle schools. Districts receiving grants would be required to implement data systems to help better detect early warning signs of dropout behavior (such as frequent absences or failing a course), use appropriate interventions targeted to student needs, and monitor the impact of interventions so that they can be refined as necessary.

Ellen Bialo Re-elected to SIIA Education Division Board

Ellen Bialo, President of Interactive Educational Systems Design, Inc. and an AEP member, has been (re)elected to the SIIA Education Division Board. These newly elected and appointed executives from SIIA member companies will help provide the education technology industry with leadership, advocacy and critical market information in the crucial months and years ahead. In addition, these individuals will come together to represent more than 150 SIIA Education Division member firms that provide software, digital content and other technologies for educational needs.