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Matthew Lynch published in Assistive Technology, Black Boys in Crisis, Child Development Tech, Digital & Mobile Technology, Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech,

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Trending Topics

5 Things That Educators Should Know About EdTech

The Information Era began some decades ago and is now changing the way we educate our children. The children of today are growing up in a world very different from the world in which their parents did. Communication has changed, and an enormous variety of information is now accessible to almost everybody at the click of a mouse or swipe of a finger. Old-fashioned classrooms equipped only with books and chalkboards are long gone. New teaching techniques such as Internet research, experience-based education, virtual learning, and online live assessments are being introduced to meet educational needs in the Information Era.

As we examine this sea of change in the way information is delivered, we’ll also take a look at the impact of these changes on veteran teachers. Other problematic factors include teachers with years of experience in the classic method of teaching; teachers who are not familiar with technology resources; and students and schools that don’t have access to technology hardware, software, or connectivity to the Internet. In this article, we will discuss the 5 things you should know about Edtech.

What should every educator know about technology? We are living in the midst of a tremendous upheaval in the fields of technology and communication. Advances in technology have influenced every aspect of modern life, and are having an enormous impact on education. Technology can promote student engagement, immerse students in real-world issues, enhance discussions and workshops, and facilitate formative assessment.

Students today are often “digital natives” who are very familiar with technology. However, there is a profound “digital divide” between students who have access to technology and students, mostly from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, who don’t have the same amount of access.

The new technological advances can be helpful, but there are some associated problems. Students may spend too much time using their devices, the Internet includes information that may be harmful as well as helpful, and teachers may become overly focused on technology to the detriment of information transfer.

What resources can a teacher use to introduce technology into the classroom? The Internet offers a vast array of resources and access to information, but students should be tutored in proper research techniques to weed out unreliable sources.

Tools such as spreadsheets, word-processing programs, and desktop publishing are highly useful and should be incorporated into classrooms. For subjects such as mathematics, foreign language acquisition, social studies, and science, technology allows students to immerse themselves in the subject and access material not otherwise available.

Other technological tools can benefit teachers. These include software for time management, grade book programs, and test-generating software. Multimedia tools can be used in the classroom to impart information and keep interest levels high. For students with disabilities, technology offers a range of tools than can, for example, create Braille texts or assist with typing.

How has technology changed instructional practices? Social networking sites such as Facebook have allowed teachers to create groups to build communities and hold discussions. However, teachers must be aware of their “public” profile, and personal information that can be accessed online. Other opportunities for social interaction online include e-portfolio or assessment tools, which allow students to store their work in web-based portfolios, so teachers and students can have access to it. Technology is also influencing the professional development of educators, as online courses are becoming more prevalent.

What are the barriers to implementing technology into your classroom? Though the digital divide has been closing, a number of factors inhibit the implementation of technology in some schools. These include lack of funds, lack of training, slower access to the Internet, and lack of access to technology at home.

What does the future hold for technology in schools? Holography, or 3D imaging, will become a useful tool in some science classes. Virtual 3D immersion will allow students to “travel” to distant places. Bring Your Own Device initiatives are allowing students to bring devices into schools, and work with them to make use of the devices in the classroom. Natural User Interfaces such as Kinect allow physical movement to control devices, which is particularly useful for students with disabilities. Personal Learning Environments are mobile and often cloud-based, allowing students to learn wherever they are. Finally, the backpack filled with heavy books will probably be a thing of the past as texts move to tablets or e-readers that students can carry in their pockets.

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 Click here to read all of the articles from this series.

 

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Trending Topics

The A-Z of Education: Diversity

In this series, I hope to guide you in acquiring the vocabulary that you need to know to be considered a competent education professional. In this article, we will discuss education vocabulary centered on multicultural education.

Click here to view all of the articles in the series.

Bisexual is the term given to sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation.

Cyber Bullying refers to bullying in which the offenders use Internet service or mobile technologies — such as email, chat room discussion groups, instant messaging, web pages, or SMS (text messaging) — with the intention of harming another person.

Differentiation refers to the practice of adjusting curriculum and assessments to the abilities, learning pace and learning styles of students, offering a variety of assignment choices to maximize opportunities for success.

Dual Exceptionality A term applied to students who are identified as gifted in one or more areas but simultaneously learning-disabled and possibly low achieving as a result.

English as a Second Language (ESL) A method of language acquisition where students are placed in regular English-speaking classes for part of the school day, and pulled out for intensive small group language focus during other classes. A modified form of immersion.

FAPE, LRE Fair and Appropriate Public Education, Least Restrictive Environment. Legal terminology applied in the Public Law 94-142; The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, which requires that students with disabilities must be placed in regular classrooms with their non-disabled peers, to the extent that their abilities allow.

Giftedness Defined variously as an IQ test score over 130, and/or a high level of natural ability, motivation, and creativity in a given field or area of study. It can refer to a combination of these elements.

Globalization The inclination to integrate societies and communities at the multi-national level, including linguistic, economic, technological, and societal elements of world culture.

Homosexual Someone who practices homosexuality; having a sexual attraction to persons of the same sex.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law specifically mandating that schools provide equitable education for the mentally and physically disabled.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) is an education plan developed specifically for each student with a disability. In Canada and the United Kingdom, an equivalent document is called an Individual Education Plan.

Inclusion The participation of students with disabilities in regular education classrooms, usually with support services.

Inclusive and Particularistic are two key terms referring to characteristics of a culturally responsive curriculum that ensures all students are welcomed and included in all aspects of the school, while acknowledging their unique differences with respect and acceptance.

Learning Disability Underdeveloped skill in one or more areas, usually related to neurological disorders. Applies to students whose intelligence level is average or above and often the result of information processing issues, psychological problems or motor dysfunction, hearing or visual problems.

Multiple Intelligences refers to a theory proposed by educational psychologist Howard Gardner, suggesting that certain areas of specialized intelligence become more developed than others. Includes 10 distinct areas of intelligence: visual/spatial, mathematical/logical, musical/rhythmic, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalistic and existentialist.

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a three-tiered approach to identifying learning disabilities, intervening to address, accommodate, and remediate students identified with these disabilities and helping them to be successful in school.

School Climate is a collective, descriptive label for the social interactions and relationships among students — with each other and with their teachers — and teachers’ interactions with their peers and administrators. The ways students experience the school and culture: the ways teachers and administrators interact and collaborate.

School Culture refers to the values, traditions, and infrastructure in each school. These characteristics govern how the school functions as an entity.

Team Teacher is a certified special education teacher who cooperates with content teacher in a regular classroom, provide special services, additional attention, and support for students identified with learning disabilities.

Transgender A general term applied to individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from the usual gender roles.

Title IX refers to a Federal law passed in 1972 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in public schools and private schools that receive federal funding.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) is the most frequently administered IQ assessment for students 6–16 years of age, developed by David Wechsler in the late 1940s. Scale ranges from 10–140. Measures a variety of skills and aptitudes, and is most frequently used as a predictive indicator of academic success.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Trending Topics

Creating a Makerspace on a Budget

The ultimate goal of any good teacher is not just to teach his or her content, but to mold young men and women who will be productive, contributing members of society who can solve problems and, hopefully, make the world a better place. It’s not always important that a student can, in isolation, recite the Pythagorean Theorem or a list of prepositions.  Instead, it’s important to use the tools and the knowledge learned in the classroom to positively impact the world around us.

And that’s where Makerspaces come in! A Makerspace is a way to bring rote learning to life, to teach students to become lifelong learners, and to encourage problem-solving skills.

What is a Makerspace?

Makerspaces are “community centers with tools.” It is a physical location – in a school or, in a broader sense, in a community – where people gather to brainstorm, solve problems, and create art and technology. A good makerspace will have an expert (or teacher) available as a guide, monitor, and coach, but most of the time users (students) will get guidance, inspiration, and advice from their co-users.

Makerspaces are special because they are designed to promote self-directed learning and independence. In the classroom, makerspaces are used when a teacher presents a problem, challenge, or question, and the students hypothesize, experiment, create, and design to solve said problem. Students learn by creating, doing, and teaching along side their classmates.

These special areas, in an educational setting, are often equipped with computers and tablets, 3D and traditional printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies, and tools. These are all useful and sometimes essential tools to teach students how to problem-solve in simulated real-world scenarios. However, these items are also extremely expensive, especially for a school that is trying to start their makerspace.

So how can schools create makerspaces without breaking the budget?

Makerspaces on a Tight Budget

Even though it’s nice to dream of a makerspace with fancy gadgets and expensive technology, the truth is that you truly can start a makerspace, even with a small or nonexistent budget. By following these five tips, you can start a Makerspace on literally any budget!

  1. Spread the word

Tap into the community. Chances are, parents will be excited about innovation and hands-on experiences for their children, and they may have untapped resources they’d be willing to share with you. Maybe they’ll buy some of the things you want, or maybe they’ll suggest an alternative item that they would be willing to donate to your Makerspace. Or maybe they already have a lot of what you need and would be willing to loan or give it to your school or organization. Whatever the case, community support will go a long way in helping you procure the materials you need.

  1. Look for – and ask for – donations

Legos, craft supplies, leftover construction materials, old and refurbished technology – there is so much out there that might be yours if you just ask the right people or advertise in the right spots. Keep your mind open to items you hadn’t considered. While you might not necessarily get a class set of iPads or tablets, you might find that someone has something else that could be just as beneficial to your students’ developing imaginations and your burgeoning Makerspace.

  1. Utilize existing supplies and materials

Scavenge your school and the classrooms of your fellow teachers. Maybe the physics teachers have unused building sets, maybe the art teacher has supplies that they are willing to part with. Start small and gradually build up your reserves.

  1. Take advantage of crowdfunding or teacher support sites

GoFundMe and Kickstarter are two popular crowdfunding sites, but for teachers there is truly no greater financial resource then DonorsChoose.org. At Donors Choose, teachers put up proposals and ideas for classroom supplies and activities, and benefactors choose the projects they wish to find, in part or in full. If you’re hoping to start a Makerspace, create a DonorsChoose project, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the funds you receive!

  1. Recycle

Scavenge the items in your school that are going to be thrown away! Cardboard boxes are treasures for a Makerspace, and other items that may be perceived as garbage can be disassembled or repurposed by creative young imaginations.

Makerspaces are all about student exploration and creativity. And while it might be nice to have fancy technology and expensive accessories, what it comes down to is nurturing student independence and fostering problem-solving skills. Don’t let a lack of funds prevent you or your school from investing in strategies that will benefit your students. It might be tough to find a way to achieve your goals of creating a Makerspace in your school or district, but it will be worth it in the end.

For you visual learners, here is an great video that discusses how to develop a thriving makerspace.

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Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, Trending Topics

The A-Z of Education: The History of Education

In this series, I hope to guide you in acquiring the vocabulary that you need to know to be considered a competent education professional. In this article, we will discuss education vocabulary centered on the history of education.

Click here to view all of the articles in the series.

American Spelling Book was the name given to the 1783 publication designed to promote nationalism following the Revolutionary War. The book included moral lessons, word lists, and guides to pronunciation, as well as the change from British to American spellings.

Abstraction refers to the act of taking something away, or separating something from something else, though not necessarily with a decrease in complexity.

De jure refers to an occurrence or phenomenon sanctioned and supported by formalized legislature.

De facto refers to an occurrence or phenomenon existing in reality, particularly in the absence of any formalized legislature.

Equality refers to the state of being the same or equal.

Equity refers to impartiality, or the state of being fair and free of prejudice.

McGuffey Readers One of the most popular and widely used textbooks in history. While not overtly religious, the books emphasized moral lessons and were intended to develop students into good citizens.

New England Primer was an illustrated textbook comprised of religious readings used in schools during the colonial period.

Progressive Education Movement was a reform movement in education which began in the 1880s and lasted over 60 years. The progressive movement emphasized learning by doing and the creation of curricula to suit children’s interests.

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Trending Topics

The A-Z of Education: Education Reform

In this series, I hope to guide you in acquiring the vocabulary that you will need to know to be considered a competent education professional. In this article, we will discuss education vocabulary centered on education reform.

Click here to view all of the articles in the series.

A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Education Reform A 1983 report suggesting that student performance and other problems with the U.S. educational system placed the nation at risk of falling well behind other industrialized nations.

Decentralized System refers to an organizational structure where decision making and authority, particularly with regards to finances and policy, are transferred away from state and district administrators and progressively handed over to schools. This facilitates more efficient and relevant administration.

Diverse Educational Models refers to the various educational models, developed through successive reforms that are available for schools to adopt in an attempt to implement reform in their particular district or community.

Educational Reform refers to the changes that continually take place to address the changing needs of the national society and workforce at school level. These changes to the educational system are intended to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students in the United States.

Equity refers to policies and practices that are impartial, seeking not to favor certain groups over others. In terms of educational funding, equity relates to an equitable and balanced distribution of funds to both poor and wealthy districts.

Five-Factor Theory is a theory proposing that schools with effective leadership, ongoing monitoring, safe environments, clear vision, and high expectations of students and teachers have a higher likelihood of being more effective.

Schools-within-Schools refers to a practice based on research showing that students in smaller classes do better, particularly in higher grades. Using the same resources and staff, student groups are subdivided to allow them to receive focused or specialized training, according to their needs.

Standards-Based Education is an approach adopted on a nationwide level to create uniformity around what students are expected to gain from their school career. This is intended to ensure that all students participating in the educational system are offered the same education, regardless of their choice of school.

Virtual Schools refer to schools that are predominantly based on virtual interactions; that is, interactions mediated through the use of technology independent of student or teacher location. This is also known as eLearning.

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Trending Topics

The A-Z of Education- Multicultural Education

In this series, I hope to guide you in acquiring the vocabulary that you need to know to be considered a competent education professional. In this article, we will discuss education vocabulary centered on multicultural education.

Click here to view all of the articles in the series.

Assimilation refers to a process of gradual, but imposed, adjustment to and absorption of the values, attitudes, and customs of a new culture until conformity is established. This new culture is often the dominant culture in the area or country.

Culturally Responsive is the term given to the practice of respectfully accepting, acknowledging, and incorporating the students’ diverse cultural knowledge, background experiences, and values into the curriculum and all aspects of learning.

Deculturalization is a term denoting the loss of “home culture” that occurs when immigrants achieve complete assimilation. This will generally happen across a generational gap, causing difficulties for both the deculturized children and their culturally intact extended family members.

Diversity A wide range of unique individual aspects, including race, language, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political ideology, socioeconomic level, and academic ability.

English Language Learners (ELL) refers to student who are non-English speaking, or students who may have a basic grasp of English, but who have a different home language that they use more regularly.

Equity denotes the concept or idea of fairness, equal treatment, and equal opportunity.

Multiculturalism The acceptance of multiple cultures coexisting in society with equitable status accorded to distinct ethnic groups.

Nativism is an academic term denoting the ethnocentric belief that the established inhabitants of a nation should have favored status over immigrants or other newcomers.

RaceUsually refers to the categorization of humans into populations or ancestral groups on the basis of various sets of heritable characteristics.

School Climate is a collective, descriptive label for the social interactions and relationships among and between students, teachers, and administrators. The ways students experience the school and culture: the ways teachers and administrators interact and collaborate.

School Culture The values, traditions, safety practices, and organizational structures within a school that cause it to function and react in particular ways.

Segregation refers to the unjust separation of different kinds of humans into racial groups in daily life that may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a washroom, attending school, and going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Trending Topics

Edtech Basics for New Teachers

Many new teachers fresh out of college and other pathways to teaching possess new ideas, but they have to prepare for any challenge in the classroom, especially regarding using technology. Edtech has greatly expanded what a classroom can accomplish, so new teachers have to acclimate to these technologies as quickly as possible. Here are some basic edtech options that teachers need to know when they first step into their own classrooms.

Locating New Ideas for the Classroom

One of the best resources of where to find ideas to integrate into any classroom would be TeachersPayTeachers. Many teachers use this site to share their ideas with other teachers for the sake of building a stable support system across the internet. It opens gateways to new ideas for teachers of all experience levels. Shared ideas include décor for the classroom, organizational tools, and standards-aligned activities that can be located with a simple search.

Managing Tasks

To-do lists do not quite cut it when it comes to managing all of the tasks that need to be completed when preparing and managing a classroom. For iOS users, 30/30 is a great app to help with managing those many tasks. It can mix personal and work items in a color-coded mode to differentiate types of tasks. For Android users, Tassky functions in much the same way.

 Dealing with Interactive Whiteboards

Many classrooms come equipped with hardware technology, too, like interactive whiteboards and learning how to use one can be rather difficult without some training. There are several tools available to become familiar with this type of technology and fast. Two examples are Flockdraw and Cosketch. Both of these tools allow for interaction using whiteboard software on any computer. It promotes collaboration, which is another skill that new teachers need to perfect as soon as possible.

Maintaining E-portfolios

A new type of tech that has become rather popular in the last few years is e-portfolios. Students learn through to and how to maintain these portfolios with tools related to Google Sites, Wikispaces, and WordPress classroom edition. They learn how to work on smaller assignments that build to a culminating project alongside learning how to collaborate with other students instead of just submitting assignments to teachers for approval or feedback. A new teacher should familiarize him or herself with these options as soon as possible to begin planning their classrooms around an e-portfolio early on. E-portfolios take a lot of planning and effort on the teacher’s part, so the sooner this process begins, the sooner it can be perfected and improved upon before it is rolled out to students.

New teachers can also take advantage of e-portfolios in another way. An e-portfolio provides a great solution to making lesson plans and units, too. Everything can be organized in a neat and efficient manner, too. The main benefit to using e-portfolios for lesson plans and units is how accessible they can be elsewhere. The days of backing everything up onto a USB thumb drive can end by using e-portfolios in this way. The essential key to not using USB thumb drives is they can be lost or broken much easier than a cloud storage option.

Conclusion

So many tools and apps exist in edtech nowadays that it can be difficult to figure out where to start learning what to use. Exploring these tools can be intimidating, too. Starting off by using these tools as early on in a career as possible will lead to learning how to incorporate other technology over the years, too. Therefore, new teachers need to work on preparing themselves for the evasion technology has made into education quickly to be ahead of the game.

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Trending Topics

Pass or Fail: Effective Teachers Instead of Retention and Social Promotion

In this multi-part series, I provide a dissection of the phenomenon of retention and social promotion. Also, I describe the many different methods that would improve student instruction in classrooms and eliminate the need for retention and social promotion if combined effectively.

While reading this series, periodically ask yourself this question: Why are educators, parents and the American public complicit in a practice that does demonstrable harm to children and the competitive future of the country?

What if the tools to eliminate retention and social promotion already exist in our classrooms?

What if all we need are more effective teachers?

Given their centrality to the student’s learning experience and to the management of education as a whole, it’s obvious why effective teachers form the most important alternative to retention and social promotion policies. With qualified, competent teachers, most students exhibiting learning difficulties should nonetheless be able to achieve enough academic progress to warrant advancement to the next grade. Indeed, what this conclusion might indicate is that there should be some internal streaming within grades of the American education system.

Students struggling with literacy or math skills could be streamed into a specific classroom either for a specific grade or for the teaching of a specific subject. The focus of the teaching could be to address the specific challenges experienced by the individual learner, to essentially teach to the student, to interpret standards and expectations for the particular student, and to play to their strengths and target their weaker areas for development.

According to Bellanca, the most successful attempts to teach for intelligence entail several basic assumptions. First, teachers must acknowledge that traditional methods for teaching are not always wrong. There are, Bellanca suggests, many high-achieving students who thrive under the traditional approach to teaching and many typical students or low-achieving students who can improve under a more traditional teaching focus. The key is that traditional methods are inadequate for many students who are less achievement-driven.

Because all students are expected to learn a specific curriculum, it is important that all students have the opportunity to be taught in a manner that enriches their learning. This applies to high achievers as well as to those who struggle academically. When faced with a less motivated student, however, a teacher must be able to develop a strategy to target their specific needs. Individual teachers must have a greater repertoire of methods.

More than this, best teaching practices should concentrate on building new theories of intelligence. Teachers should be familiar with new theories of intelligence and be able to build on them in their teaching practices. We do not have the space in this volume to elaborate on specific theories, but it is appropriate to mention Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, Robert Sternberg’s theory of successful intelligence, Daniel Goleman’s theory of emotional intelligence, and Reuven Feuerstein’s theory of structural cognitive modifiability.

The second point is that the public education system should encourage teachers to regard the process of teaching as a strategic act of engagement, consistent with new theories of intelligence that identify active engagement of students’ minds as a prerequisite for learning. Indeed, teachers have support to apply planning as a means of facilitating the effective application of proven engagement strategies. By regarding teaching as a strategic act, teachers can go about the designing lessons and units that integrate a variety of strategies with targeted content so that each student understands the required knowledge and develops the required skills.

Third, teachers have to understand that it takes more than a review of theoretical information to change teaching practices. Continuing education for teachers is crucial but it must include more than theoretical discussions. There must be some effort for teachers to learn to apply new teaching strategies in the classroom, with guidance to ensure that best practices are actually achieved. In other words, the education system should develop scenarios for teachers to receive regular practical training in addition to theory-based continuing education instruction.

Finally, teachers must also be aware that changing their teaching style or otherwise enhancing it is also going to require, in most instances, that students make changes in their own learning styles. Indeed, when teachers encounter students who are struggling academically, the need to change learning styles may be very immediate. It should, however, be recognized that changing learning styles can be extremely challenging for students. Especially when teachers are making changes to their teaching, it is important for them to be aware that the change process has equally significant ramifications on the student’s side of the desk.

Beginning from an abstract, theoretical point of view and using that to construct a framework or big picture may work in some classroom scenarios. On the other hand, starting with a hands-on classroom test of a new method may be the best approach, and will allow students to be involved in the subsequent evaluation.

As alternatives to retention and social promotion, effective teachers function as the most immediate tools available to the education system in terms of identifying at-risk students and applying all that is known about education and teaching strategies and the capacity to adjust teaching models and the like. This could help at-risk students to master the knowledge and skills needed for them to be able to successfully meet standards for graduation. Like any tool, however, teachers need effective handling as well. They need to receive regular training updates, access to research information, and access to networking opportunities.

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Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Teachers, Trending Topics

The A-Z of Education: School Finance and Organization

In this series, I hope to guide you in acquiring the vocabulary that you need to know to be considered a competent education professional. In this article, we will discuss education vocabulary centered on school finance and organization.

Click here to view all of the articles in the series.

Adequate Yearly Progress is a No Child Left Behind requirement that schools make annual incremental progress toward 100 percent of students reaching the proficient level on state reading and mathematics assessments by the 2013–2014 school year.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is a nationally organized association, intended to represent the interests of all affiliated classroom teachers. It is comprised of professional teachers who advocate for teachers’ concerns, educational reforms, as well as for changes to current legislation.

American Recovery and Revitalization Act (ARRA) refers to a law passed in 2009 regarding the provision of a stimulus package to assist, among other things, in the creation and retention of teachers and school staff.

Authentic Assessment refers to the testing of students which measure accomplishment and mastery in a more holistic manner than standardized testing. The outcomes of these assessments are sometimes considered being more representative of a teacher’s effectiveness than the results of standardized testing.

Block Grant is a means for educational funding where federal government monies are paid to the state in a “block,” rather than being specifically designated to particular programs or purchases.

Categorical Aid refers to the means of federal funding for education where monies are targeted to specific federal programs or services and must only be used for those purposes. These monies are required to be accounted for and reported on periodically.

Chief State School Officer is the title given to the head of education for the state. This position may be elected, but is often appointed by the governor.

Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) was passed in 1965 in regards to various aspects of educational policy. This includes the funding of education up until the end of high school, and aims to promote the removal of achievement gaps between students of differing socioeconomic backgrounds.

Local School Board is the term used to describe the governing body for educational policy and funding at the local level. Members are usually elected by the community.

Local School District refers to the organization that channels funding and policies at the local level.

Local Superintendent is the head of education at the local school district. They are hired by the local school board.

National Education Association (NEA) is the largest professional organization and labor union, representing not only public school teachers and related personnel, but also retired educators and college students who wish to become teachers.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act is an act which promotes the setting of high standards, as well as the setting and conducting of standardized testing, with a view to develop certain fundamental and core skills, such as basic literacy. Schools are rated in terms of performance, with sanctions imposed against schools that are not performing adequately.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA) refers to a formally organized association of parents, who work in conjunction with the school teachers in bringing about changes within the school. PTAs can receive federal funds.

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) refers to a locally organized group of parents who work in conjunction with teachers in bringing about changes in a school. PTOs do not receive federal funds.

Privatization refers to the movement away from management by local or state-level government structures, and the move towards management by private individuals or corporations.

Site-based Management/Decision-Making is the process by which all school-related decisions are made at the school level with input from all interested stakeholders. As these decisions are taken by parties who are based at the school, they generally more accurately represent the true needs of the school.

State Board of Education is presided over by the Chief State School Officer and responsible for upholding the state educational legislation is observed.

State Department of Education is the department that channels funds and policy decisions from the governor and the legislature, to local educational authorities.

Title I Federal legislation that makes funds available to improve the educational experiences of children from low income families.

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