November-December 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Governance Efficacy
“Effective governance requires a willingness to be held accountable and to hold others accountable to the results of excellence and equity for all students, without exception.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the November-December 2014 issue
Articles
Students’ Civil rights is a Matter of Good Governance, by Bradley Scott, Ph.D.
Tracking the Learning and Tracking the Dollar – A School Board Member’s Priorities, by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed.
Extras
Video: School Board Member, Velma Ybarra
Six Goals of Educational Equity
Sixth Generation of Civil Rights and Educational Equity – Podcast Episode 113
Video: IDRA Our School data portal
Communities, School Boards and Education Policy
Eight Characteristics of an Effective School Board, by Dervarics, C. and E. O’Brien, The Center for Public Education (Alexandria, VA: The Center for Public Education, 2011).
October 2014 IDRA Newsletter – School Holding Power
“We cannot settle for incremental improvement in high school graduation rates. The cost is too high. Clearly, to achieve different results, we must envision a dramatically different process and undertake a new strategy.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the October 2014 issue
Articles
Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2013-14: School Holding Power is Improving in Texas – At a Glacial Pace, by Roy L. Johnson, M.S.
Families and School Holding Power – Parent-Led Surveys Present Insights, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.
Barriers Hispanic Students Face Graduating from High School, by Josie Danini Cortez, M.A.
Christian Ortiz – Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Winning Essay, by Christian Ortiz
Extras
Counting Dropouts – Podcast Episode 62
The Power of Student Voices in Dropout Prevention – Podcast Episode 125
Tutor’s Success Surprises Elementary Teacher – Podcast Episode 145
An Elementary Teacher on Having Tutors in Her Classroom – Podcast Episode 142
They start calling my name (on being a Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program tutor) – Podcast Episode 135
September 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Teaching Quality
“Teaching quality is more than the teacher as a person. Specifically,teaching quality is based on strong content knowledge and effective pedagogy, quality decision-making in the classroom, self-efficacy, innovation, and capacity to teach diverse students, and is grounded in community and institutional support.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the September 2014 issue
Articles
An Elementary School’s STEM Success Story – IDRA Technical Assistance Empowers Teachers with Strategies to Impact Student Learning, by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., and Juanita C. García, Ph.D.
Dual Language Means Two – Reflections and Guidance for Teaching in Two Languages, by Adela Solís, Ph.D.
Court Rules Again– Texas School Funding Must Serve All Students Equitably – IDRA Statement on the Texas District Court Ruling on Texas School Finance System, by María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.
Quality Schools Action Framework – Developed in 2005
Extras
Learning While Teaching (A Conversation with New Teachers) – Podcast Episode 120
Tool for Building Quality Schools – Podcast Episode 81
The Role of Bilingual Ed and ESL in Our Schools – Podcast Episode 138
Good Schools for Children Learning English – Podcast Episode 14
Video: Ensuring High Teaching Quality to Tap Into Students’ Strengths
August 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Change Strategies
“Three change strategies help schools, as systems, hold on to all students and secure their success: building community capacity to strengthen schools; creating coalitions that amplify parent and community voices and impact; and building school capacity to ensure that every child receives an excellent education.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the August 2014 issue
Articles
The Power of Leadership in Schools, by Bradley Scott, Ph.D.
School Discipline Gone South – The Call for Restoration, by Laurie Posner, MPA
Serving Unaccompanied Immigrant Children
Immigrant Students’ Rights to Attend Public Schools – School Opening Alert
National PTA Visits Comunitario PTAs in the Rio Grande Valley
The Right to Inclusion and Success in Education is Reaffirmed, by María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.
Quality Schools Action Framework – Developed in 2005
Extras
Immigrant Children’s Rights to Attend Public Schools – Podcast Episode 94
A Principal on Setting Expectations for College– Podcast Episode 126
School Change Strategies – Podcast Episode 53
Tool for Building Quality Schools – Podcast Episode 81
National PTA president’s visit to Comunitario PTAs in south Texas, by PSJA ISD
June-July 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Actionable Knowledge
“We must connect school outcomes – graduation and college readiness – with who and what produces those outcomes – connecting actionable knowledge to support engaged citizens, accountable leadership and enlightened public policy that leverages change.” – Dr.María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the June-July 2014 issue
Articles
IDRA’s New CollegeLink App Connects Transition Counselors with New College Students as they Navigate Confusing College Systems, by Hector Bojorquez
Armed with Data, PTA Comunitarios Work with Schools for College Preparation – An IDRA OurSchool Portal Story, by Hector Bojorquez and Aurelio M. Montemayor, Ed.D.
Teacher Leadership in Science in Schools with Diverse Students, by Kristin Grayson, Ph.D.
Learn more about the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program and how to bring the program to your school
Extras
Engaging Parents through Powerful Coalition Building
Parents Using Data to Improve Schools – Podcast Episode 92
Tool for Building Quality Schools – Podcast Episode 81
Video: Dropout Prevention that Works – Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program
May 2014 IDRA Newsletter – College Access and Success
“Inclusion, success, and economic productivity demand that students of all backgrounds and financial circumstances be prepared to enter and graduate from college. Colleges and universities must adapt to welcome students and provide the supports needed for them to graduate. Their future is our best legacy.” – Dr. María“Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
Articles
The Cognitive and Affective Dimensions of College Readiness, by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., and Nilka Avilés, Ed.D.
Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Celebrates 30 Years of Keeping Students in School, by Linda Cantu, Ph.D.
HB5 Does Not Have to Block Students from College – San Antonio City Council Encourages College Preparation for All Students, by María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.
Extras
What Students Need their School Counselors to Hear – Podcast Episode 45
College for All – Podcast Episode 75
They start calling my name (on being a Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program tutor) – Podcast Episode 135
The Art of Writing – Tips for Teachers Part 1 – Podcast Episode 136
The Art of Writing – Tips for Teachers Part 2 – Podcast Episode 137
What Parents Want to Know about the New Texas Graduation Guidelines
April 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Parent and Community Engagement
“Engaged communities who participate actively and who express their concern about the quality of education and act as partners in improving their own schools, are essential to transforming schools.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the April 2014 issue
Articles
Rio Grande Valley Community Commits to Ensuring High Academic Region for All Students, by Hector Bojorquez
Families and Curriculum – Supporting Preparation of Students for College and Post-secondary Education, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.
Principles for Transforming a School District, by Hector Bojorquez
Immigrant Students’ Rights to Attend Public Schools – Alert for Registering Students for School
eBook: Seven Elements of the PTA Comunitario Approach
Extras
How to Start a PTA Comunitario – Podcast Episode 131
Promotora Model for Family Leadership in Education – Podcast Episode 118
Expressions of Effective Parent and Community Engagement – Podcast Episode 100
The Power of IDRA’s Parent Leadership Model – Podcast Episode 3
March 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Curriculum Quality
“To deliver curriculum quality and access, our schools must make sure that the particular programs of study and materials are available to students of all types so that students are not tracked into lower level courses.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the March 2014 issue
Articles
Mesa Comunitaria Educativa – Community Collaboration for Education Advocacy, by Hector Bojorquez and Aurelio M. Montemayor, Ed.D.
Distinguished as Default – Real Choice is Preparing All Students Well, by Laurie Posner, MPA
PTA Comunitario Growth Prospects in Oklahoma, by Kristin E. Grayson, Ph.D.
Treating All Students as College Material – Family Leadership in Action, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, Ed.D.
PSJA Proves that a School District Can Assure that All Students are College Bound
Extras
Tracking vs. High Quality Education for All Students – Podcast Episode 124
Higher Math for All – Podcast Episode 87
College for All – Podcast Episode 75
What Students Need their School Counselors to Hear – Podcast Episode 45
Action for School Change – Podcast Episode 42
College Access for Low Income and Minority Students – Podcast Episode 41
Access to Higher Levels of Mathematics – Podcast Episode 13
February 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Fair Funding
“When families can’t count on their neighborhood public school to be funded equitably, something has gone deeply wrong with Texas.” – Dr.María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the February 2014 issue
Articles
The latest Texas School Finance Equity and Adequacy Court Case – Round Six: Texas Taxpayers and Student Fairness Coalition et al vs. Williams, by Albert Cortez, Ph.D.
Happy Birthday to You – The Civil Rights Act at Fifty, by Bradley Scott, Ph.D.
IDRA Names 2014 José A. Cárdenas School Finance Fellow, by Dr. Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos
Extras
Fair Funding Now! for Excellent Schooling – Podcast Episode 102
Implications of Inequitable School Funding –Podcast Episode 68
Fundamentals for School Change – Podcast Episode 52
January 2014 IDRA Newsletter – Early Childhood Student Engagement
“Investment in quality early childhood education is not only an investment in the young people who participate or even in their families, it is in fact an investment in all of us.” – Dr. María “Cuca”Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO
See PDF of the January 2014 issue
Articles
Building Interest in STEM through Language Development and Storytelling, by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., and Juanita C. García, Ph.D. (1-14)1-2
The Philosophy Behind Semillitas de Aprendizaje™
IDRA Study Finds Children of AVANCE Families Are More Likely to Stay in School, by Felix Montes, Ph.D.
Extras
Bilingual Stories for Young Learners – Podcast Episode 80
Building Opportunity through Dual Language – Podcast Episode 106
IDRA’s Semillitas de Aprendizaje
IDRA’s External Impact Evaluation of the AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program
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