Past Center News
Oh, the Place Comprehension Instruction Can Go
ONLINE: Nell Duke of Michigan State University opened the NECC's Partners in Literacy initiative's work on building consensus on the scientific knowledge base for literacy with a webinar on March 5. These PowerPoint slides outline many of her ideas on including comprehension instruction throughout the school day and in a number of settings. (March 2007)
DownloadThe Moral Imperative to Build State Education Capacity
FRAMINGHAM, MA: At the launch of the NECC Statewide Systems of Support initiative, keynote speaker Paul Reville outlined the challenges and opportunities state education leaders face. (January 2007)
Read full story, listen and download presentations >
NECC Adds Regional Initiative
PORTSMOUTH, NH: Responding to the needs and interest expressed by representatives of the six New England states, the Center has launched a fourth regional initiative, Statewide Systems of Support, to assist states in tackling the challenges of designing and implementing systems to support districts and schools identified for improvement, corrective action, and restructuring. (January 2007)
Learn more about the Statewide Systems of Support initiative >
Adolescent Literacy Resources: An Annotated Bibliography
PORTSMOUTH, NH: This array of research summaries and policy documents on reading and reading comprehension for students in grades 4–12 covers the current important research issues in adolescent literacy and in state- and district-level policies to support improvements in adolescent literacy outcomes. (2007)
Download (from the Center on Instruction)
This is a companion piece to Academic Literacy Instruction for Adolescents: A Guidance Document (see Literacy Resources).
U.S. Department of Education Reviews State Progress on Highly Qualified Teachers
The U.S. Department of Education recently completed its reviews of states' progress in placing highly qualified teachers in every classroom. NECC is available to assist in revising state teacher quality plans. To arrange for assistance, please contact:
Karen Laba ([email protected]) - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont
Steve Hamilton ([email protected]) - Massachusetts
Maria-Paz Avery ([email protected]) - Connecticut, Rhode Island
New Resources on English Language Learners Offered
PORTSMOUTH, NH: The Center on Instruction has published a valuable new resource on teaching English language learners. Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners represents the most current research on this topic. (October 2006)
Learn more about these resources in ELL Resources >
Joyce Epstein on the Changing Field of Family and Community Involvement
CT: Dr. Joyce L. Epstein, Research Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University, spoke at a statewide forum on School, Family, and Community Partnerships in Connecticut. (September 2006)
Listen to excerpts from her talk >
Planning Tool
The National Comprehensive Center on Teacher Quality also offers a Planning Tool to Provide Evidence of Progress Toward Equitable Teacher Distribution. (September 2006)
Download tool
NECC Symposium Opens Regional Dialogue on Teaching Reading
PORTSMOUTH, NH: What do teachers need to know about teaching reading and when do they need to know it? Close to 100 representatives from higher education, state departments of education, local school districts, and educational philanthropies gathered in Portsmouth recently to grapple with that question. Descriptions of and audio from presentations by Catherine Snow of Harvard University, Michael Coyne of the University of Connecticut, Betty Lou Whitford of the University of Southern Maine, Marty Hougen of the Texas Higher Education Collaborative, and Amy Jackson of the National Comprehensive Center on Teacher Quality are available. (June 2006)
more about the Symposium >
NECC and NYCC Staff Attend Training Sessions on NCLB and Literacy
PORTSMOUTH, NH: In order to develop its own capacity to be a strong resource to SEAs, Center staff attended two training sessions. Training on the NCLB law and regulations was offered by RMC Research, Inc. Forty-three staff members from the NECC and NYCC attended the two day training held in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Attorney Leigh M. Manasevit took the participants through a detailed examination of the law and related guidance material provided by the USED. Attendees considered both the changing and the consistent expectations across many of the law’s provisions.
The Center on Instruction offered training to Comprehensive Centers on the principles of literacy, ranging from early literacy to emerging research in adolescent literacy. Led by Dr. Joseph Torgeson, Director of the Center on Instruction’s Reading strand, the conference examined support strategies for literacy instruction and content, with special attention to struggling readers and the changing literacy demands on students as they move from grades 4 through 12. (February 2006)
Partnership Formed to Support NCLB
PORTSMOUTH, NH: A partnership of four New England education companies has assumed the helm of the U.S. Department of Education-sponsored New England Comprehensive Center. RMC Research Corporation of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; The Education Alliance at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Education Development Center, Newton, Massachusetts; and Learning Innovations at WestEd, Woburn, Massachusetts signed an agreement on November 4 with the U.S. Department of Education to provide technical assistance to the education leaders of the six New England states as they work to implement NCLB. Headquartered at RMC Research Corporation, the Center will offer regional and state initiatives in response to requests for technical assistance. (December 2005)