WASHINGTON - Congressman Dave Loebsack reintroduced the Working to Encourage Community Action and Responsibility in Education (WE CARE) Act to help ensure that schools and communities work together with families to meet student needs inside and outside the classroom. The WE CARE Act will amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to more strategically engage the community in the education of our students and ensure they succeed in school and are prepared for productive employment when they graduate.

"I would not be where I am today without the support of my community.  Whether it was my principal helping me get a job to pay for college or my grandmother taking in my siblings and me, I know first-hand the importance of what happens outside the classroom to children's ability to succeed inside the classroom and throughout their lives.  I want to be sure that every child has access to the same supports that allowed me to lift myself out of poverty by my bootstraps," said Loebsack.  "When the full community is involved, our children will be best able to reach their full potential, secure good jobs when they graduate, and grow up to be the future leaders of our state and nation."

The bill is supported by First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children's advocacy organization.  "We've learned that what happens outside the classroom matters as much for a child's education as what happens inside. Rep. Loebsack gets it, and his WE CARE Act would give kids a better chance to succeed in school and life," said First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley.

The WE CARE Act amends ESEA to more strategically engage the community in the education of our students by:

·   Providing incentives for school districts, community-based organizations and others to work together to develop and implement Community Involvement Policies. These policies would leverage resources from the community to help meet students' non-academic needs and prepare them for success in the classroom.

·   Calling on state educational agencies and local educational agencies to include an analysis of the non-academic needs of students in their plans, along with a strategy for partnering with community-based organizations and others to meet those needs.

·   Calling on local educational agencies and schools to engage community stakeholders in the development of school improvement plans in order to utilize every possible resource available to strengthen student performance.

MILWAUKEE, WI (05/23/2013)(readMedia)-- The following local students have been named to the Dean's List for the spring 2013 semester at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis:

Thomas Grabow of Davenport, IA. Grabow is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Matthew Noe of Rock Island, IL. Noe is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Shannon Gambon of Coal Valley, IL. Gambon is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology.

Emmaline Jurgena of Davenport, IA. Jurgena is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.

Benjamin Minnick of Sterling, IL. Minnick is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.

Tara Vandygriff of Rock Island, IL. Vandygriff is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations.

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university that draws its more than 11,500 students from all 50 states and more than 75 different countries. In addition to its nationally recognized academic programs, Marquette is known for its service learning programs and internships as students are challenged to use what they learn to make a difference in the world. Find out more about Marquette at marquette.edu.

WORCESTER, MA (05/23/2013)(readMedia)-- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced that Julie Eagle of Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, was named to the university's Dean's List for academic excellence for the spring 2013 semester.

A total of 1,340 undergraduate students achieved the criteria required for WPI's spring 2013 Dean's List. The criteria for the WPI Dean's List differ from that of most other universities as WPI does not compute a grade point average (GPA). Instead, WPI defines the Dean's List by the amount of work completed at the A level in courses and projects.

"WPI's academic programs are remarkably rigorous, so being named to the Dean's List is a testament to hard work, a sharp mind, and a commitment to excellence," said Provost Eric Overström. "Some of this nation's best and brightest students come to WPI to learn subjects ranging from engineering to science to business and the humanities, and through our innovative project-based curriculum they conduct professional-level research and solve important problems all over the world. Those named to the Dean's List have excelled at facing such demanding challenges, and we are exceptionally proud of these outstanding students."

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Perspective Program. There are more than 30 WPI project centers throughout North America and Central America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe.

Urges districts to better prepare students for college math, careers

SPRINGFIELD - May 23, 2013. As the state's point person on education reform, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon and the Illinois State Board of Education today released the state's first 6th-12th grade math curriculum and urged middle and high schools statewide to implement the new courses beginning this fall.

The new curriculum package aims to reduce remedial math needs for college-bound students and improve career readiness for those going into the workforce. In 2012, 58 percent of Illinois high school graduates failed to meet the math college readiness benchmark, according to the ACT. Research shows when students enroll in remedial math courses at college, they are more likely to drop out or graduate late.

To make sure Illinois students are better prepared for college-level math and careers, Simon worked with ISBE last year to pass Senate Bill 3244 and launch the Math Curriculum Task Force to design the first-ever statewide math curriculum units. The units outline teaching techniques aligned with Common Core standards, providing educators a better road map for math instruction than ever before.

"We want to put all middle and high school students on a track for success," Simon said. "Colleges and employers expect our students to have certain skills, but find too many students unprepared. The tools we released should help educators better prepare students to compete in the global marketplace."

Illinois adopted the Common Core standards in 2010. But how to implement or teach to those standards has been up to districts. Many rely on textbook companies to dictate curriculum not necessarily aligned to standards, while others can invest in curriculum directors to assist teachers.

The state-designed curriculum units, and soon-to-come lesson plans, provide new, high-quality tools that are aligned with the Common Core and can be adapted as needed to meet each classroom's needs. Simon said this should help level the playing field for districts with fewer resources.

"This is not an unfunded mandate," Simon said. "We are giving teachers, schools and districts an extra resource to incorporate within their classrooms in a way that is most beneficial to the students."

In all, 24 middle and 28 high school unit outlines were developed, with major changes in high school curriculum. Currently, high school math progresses annually from one content area to the next - Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II. The new model introduces integrated high school math courses - Math I, II and III - which each teach elements of algebra, geometry and statistics at each grade level.

Although four years of math are not required to graduate from high school in Illinois, the new model also includes content recommendations for senior year courses. The fourth-year options include career and technical education courses and dual credit coursework offered in conjunction with a local community college or university. These can help better prepare students for college-level math or the workforce.

Schools can opt to follow the state-recommended scope and sequence of math study in part or whole, or continue to follow local curricula. Analysis of the models' effect will be completed within four years.

"These math curriculum models can help districts continue to implement the more rigorous Illinois Learning Standards in the coming year," said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. "Our new learning standards emphasize a holistic approach and ensure that students truly master math concepts and can apply them in their jobs and everyday life."

ISBE has decided to go beyond its statutory charge and develop lesson plans to correspond with the proposed math curricula, as well as develop math curriculum units for elementary schools. The additional materials will be available in the fall.

"The units structure the way a topic should be approached and allow a common ground for all teachers to teach their grade level," said Tai Williford, an 8th grade math teacher from Neal Math and Science Academy in North Chicago. "You can see the progression from one topic to the next and one grade level to the next. Using these units has been great for me and my colleagues because we know what we need the end result to be and we can discuss how to get our students there based on their current standings."

For more information about the model curricula, click here.