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"About PracticePlanet You want an easy-to-use tool to prepare your students for high-stakes tests. Your students want learning that's fun. Everyone wants to see test scores soar. Give your students the PracticePlanet advantage! It's Online PracticePlanet's study strategy takes full advantage of the technology available via the Web. The program contains a comprehensive bank of test items. Management of data is precise yet simple. There are no messy print materials-and data is automatically aggregated electronically. It's Targeted PracticePlanet's pretests identify areas of strength and weakness; students practice the assigned concepts, posttests show his or her level of growth. PracticePlanet's reporting feature gives you real time student data to pinpoint areas needing additional work. It's Motivating and Fun A variety of media keeps PracticePlanet content engaging and interactive. Students are rewarded with motivating, fun games and receive immediate feedback and test results that help them stay focused. Students who use PracticePlanet at school or at home will explore a new world of success on standardized tests. Teachers who use PracticePlanet will appreciate its effectiveness and ease of use. Administrators will appreciate the improvement in test scores and Adequate Yearly Progress. Standards-based Assessment For the last number of years-and especially since the enactment of No Child Left Behind legislation-states have been held increasingly accountable for the academic achievement of the children who attend their public schools. Most states have undertaken the tasks of codifying their academic standards and correlating curriculum and instruction to those standards. Most states have also implemented criterion-referenced summative assessment programs that annually test their students' growth in skill and knowledge. Each state test is developed using selected critical standards from the state's published ac

"What is the Freshman Transition Initiative (FTI)? If you are a middle or high school principal, teacher, curriculum developer or school counselor, you share our goal of increasing school retention and the success rate of the youth in your schools. To this end, The George Washington University's Freshman Transition Initiative, housed in GW's Graduate School of Education and Human Development's School Counseling Program, has studied and identified the most noteworthy and rigorous state standards in this area to develop what it considers to be a definitive set of Course Standards for Freshman Transition Classes. As schools, districts and states consider various high school reform strategies, we expect these standards will: Provide policy makers with a vision of what types of intervention strategies are possible; Provide a curriculum roadmap for teachers; Guide administrators in upgrading district or state standards; Encourage professional curriculum developers and textbook/software publishers to update or create appropriate commercial resources for the classroom"

"Establish a set of vendor-independent and language-independent interface standards for drivers that provide plug-and-play control of astronomical instruments and related devices. Provide general requirements and guidance for quality and behavior of drivers. Promote the use of these standard drivers from any astronomy-related software. Ensure that drivers are usable from the widest possible variety of programs and languages, including Windows Active Script languages and Automation based tools. Promote (but not absolutely require) open-source implementations of the drivers. Promote scriptability of astronomy software without standardizing application level interfaces (which would inhibit innovation). Provide general requirements for quality and behavior of application scripting interfaces, aimed at making script writers' experiences consistent and robust."

As part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), the draft K-12 standards are now available for public comment. These draft standards, developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, seek to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce. Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia committed to developing a common core of state standards in English-language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. This is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

Since 2000, Study Island has been building and marketing online, state standards-based learning programs that are the most effective and easiest to use of their kind. Our in-house technical development and content teams design and create our programs, which are then sold to schools on a subscription basis through our direct sales force. Used by millions of students in thousands of schools across the United States, all of our programs are built specifically from state standards and are designed to create a very user-friendly experience for both students and teachers alike.

The U.S. ISSN Center, part of the international ISSN Network, assigns International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN) to serials published in the U.S. The ISSN is a standard identifier for serials (e.g., journals, magazines, newsletters, newspapers, annuals) whether published in print, online or other media. Each medium version is assigned a separate ISSN.

"Journalist's Creed The Journalist's Creed was written by the first dean of the Missouri School of Journalism, Walter Williams. One century later, his declaration remains one of the clearest statements of the principles, values and standards of journalists throughout the world. The plaque bearing the creed is located on the main stairway to the second floor of Neff Hall. I believe in the profession of journalism. I believe that the public journal is a public trust; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of their responsibility, trustees for the public; that acceptance of a lesser service than the public service is betrayal of this trust. I believe that clear thinking and clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism. I believe that a journalist should write only what he holds in his heart to be true. I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible. I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman; that bribery by one's own pocketbook is as much to be avoided as bribery by the pocketbook of another; that individual responsibility may not be escaped by pleading another's instructions or another's dividends. I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that the supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service. I believe that the journalism which succeeds best -- and best deserves success -- fears God and honors Man; is stoutly independent, unmoved by pride of opinion or greed of power, constructive, tolerant but never careless, self-controlled, patient, always respectful of its readers but always unafraid, is quickly indignant at injustice; is unswayed by the appeal of privilege or the clamor of the mob; seeks to give every man a chance and,

"About the Assessment TRAILS is a knowledge assessment with multiple-choice questions targeting a variety of information literacy skills based on sixth and ninth grade standards. The assessment items are based on Ohio Academic Content Standards and the American Association of School Librarians' Information Power. The Web-based system was developed to provide an easily accessible and flexible tool for library media specialists and teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses in the information-seeking skills of their students. It is made available at no cost to users"

"Discovery Communications To Launch New Multimedia, Multi-Year Science Initiative, "Be The Future," Supporting Obama Administration STEM Priorities -- DirecTV Boosts Support of Science Literacy with Move of Science Channel to Total Choice, Offering Millions of Additional Subscribers Access to Quality Science Programming -- November 23, 2009 (Silver Spring, Md.) Underscoring its commitment to leading in science-related programming and education, and answering President Obama's call to action to encourage science literacy, Discovery Communications today announced a new multimedia, multi-year nationwide initiative called "Be The Future." Over the next five years, Discovery will launch a programming block, education curriculum and tools to inspire student learning and careers in the sciences and support the White House's efforts behind science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. "Lifting American students from the middle to the top of the pack in STEM achievement over the next decade will not be attained by government alone," said President Obama. "I applaud the substantial commitments made today by the leaders of companies, universities, foundations, non-profits and organizations representing millions of scientists, engineers and teachers from across the country." "The exploration of science, technology and the natural world is central to the mission and DNA of Discovery Communications and we are incredibly proud to put the full muscle of our content and resources behind this critical White House initiative," said John S. Hendricks, founder and chairman, Discovery Communications. "Through 'Be the Future' we will spark the innate curiosity in school-aged viewers and people of all ages, help drive interest and leadership in science-related careers and inspire a lifelong interest in how science shapes our everyday lives." A sweeping, multi-platform initiative, "Be the Future" will be built on two primary Discovery businesse

"America's Choice is a new kind of educational organization. We are a solution provider. We offer comprehensive, proven solutions to the complex problems educators face in the era of accountability. America's Choice has an unparalleled history as a national thought leader and as the creator of research-based school improvement solutions that work for states, districts, and schools. We have traveled the world to learn how the most successful schools and school systems organize and systematically teach for results. We know how to help the millions of American students who are at risk of failing to catch up, to meet rigorous academic standards, and to succeed in school. And we know how to bring out the best in school leaders, coaches, and teachers. Our coherent, uniquely American solutions help schools focus on teaching, learning, and results."

When we think about difficult concepts, it helps to think with models, smaller versions of systems that we can hold in our minds or sketch on paper. Science teachers, as well as the Next Generation Science Standards, recognize the importance of understanding models. Primary sources from the Library of Congress collections invite students to explore how different models of the universe have developed over time, and to think a bit more generally about interpreting models.

"The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design and continues to enforce accessibility standards that cover federally funded facilities."

"Doing What Works (DWW) is a website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of DWW is to create an online library of resources that may help teachers, schools, districts, states and technical assistance providers implement research-based instructional practice. DWW is led by the Office of Planning, Evaluation & Policy Development (OPEPD) at the U.S. Department of Education. OPEPD relies on the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education (and occasionally other entities that adhere to standards similar to those of IES) to evaluate and recommend practices that are supported by rigorous research. Much of the DWW content is based on information from IES' What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). The WWC evaluates research on practices and interventions to let the education community know what is likely to work. For each practice, it issues a guide and/or an intervention report that describes what the practice involves and what the research says. In addition, some DWW content is based on other information and materials from IES. Then, DWW provides examples of possible ways educators might apply those research findings, but these are not necessarily the only ways to carry out these teaching practices. It's important to note that the examples provided on DWW - including any products named in school materials or found on websites referenced on DWW - should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any products, programs, or curricula."

The PPN website is a unique resource that offers credible, research-based information on what works to improve the lives of children and families. Sometimes referred to as a "best practices" site or a "model program" site, PPN is both of those things and much more. In addition to providing information on Programs that Work, PPN also links to additional research information in all areas related to child well-being, including their physical and mental health, academic success, and economic security. These additional resources include Research in Brief, Resources and Tools and Expert Perspectives. To promote successful implementation of best practices and model programs, PPN also screens and posts evidence-based information on effective Service Delivery. In addition to the breadth of information PPN provides, visitors can rely on PPN to provide information that has met our high standards for scientific credibility, objectivity, and clarity. Learn about our process for reviewing information for inclusion on the site and how to submit a program for consideration.

"World Youth News is an global online news project for secondary school students from around the world. Adhering to the highest journalistic standards, students select the issues they want to report on, and write, edit and publish their articles on the web-based news service. School publications can reprint articles from World Youth News to add an international component to their news. Any secondary school student (between 14-19 years old) can join this project as a reporter after successfully completing an online training and certification course. World Youth News aims to take students beyond becoming media literate into becoming international correspondents for student publications. Its worldwide team of reporters and editors works collaboratively while researching, writing and editing articles. With an emphasis on unbiased reporting and respect for a diversity of views, World Youth News hopes to not only develop journalistic skills among students but also broaden cross-cultural understanding and provide an important global youth perspective."

"Support, Technology, and Professional Development for Online Learning: The SUNY Learning Network is a partnership with SUNY Campuses to provide support in the areas of pedagogy, technology, student and faculty support and marketing services. With award-winning support from the SUNY Learning Network, SUNY campuses have been empowered to offer thousands of online courses in scores of degree programs to tens of thousands of students. SLN-supported courses redefine online learning. They integrate today's students into learning environments that provide intensive interaction, individual attention, high standards, and enhanced learning outcomes. The SUNY Learning Network (SLN) was established to increase access to SUNY's academic programs and maintain consistently high-quality online pedagogy. SLN supports the full range of online learning, from courses that use the Web to enhance in-class teaching, through courses and full degree programs available completely online. You can read more about how SLN evolved on the SLN History page."

Plagiarism in the Digital Age: Voices from the Front Lines: What's Happening in High Schools Today? November 18, 2009 | 3:30 PM Eastern Standard Time | Webinar 2 Educators today are challenged by a teen culture of online permissiveness and have growing concerns about plagiarism. They want to understand why students choose dishonest behavior, what strategies encourage original work, and how to help students become better writers who use Internet content appropriately.

"In2Books was created in 1997 to enhance the intellectually stimulating work available to students in low-income neighborhoods. A basic tenet of In2Books is that all children are capable of deep learning. Children cannot fully develop their learning potential without challenging learning experiences. In2Books promotes ambitious literacy learning in grades 2-5 by having students engage in authentic reading and writing experiences with adult pen pals. The pen pal experience is complemented by the classroom study of genre and genre-related literacy. From its inception, In2Books has focused especially on under-resourced neighborhood where many students come from low-income, culturally diverse backgrounds. The thought-provoking In2Books curriculum includes carefully-chosen, high quality diverse books and research-proven teaching strategies. The strategies are aligned to grade-level literacy standards and science, social studies, and language arts instruction."

The mission of TI:ME is to assist music educators in applying technology to improve teaching and learning in music. The History of TI:ME - In the summer of 1995 TI:ME was formed to address the following areas: First, there was a need to codify technology into a cohesive set of standards. Next, a certification process was explored to recognize the achievement of in-service music teachers in music technology. Finally, it became clear that there was a need for a new organization, national in scope and focused on the subject of teacher training in music technology. A National Advisory board was established and met in October of 1996 setting in motion the tasks that led to the creation of a world wide web site, the publication of a book of Strategies and a Newsletter The TI:MES, the criterion for membership, and the development of a comprehensive curriculum for in-service teacher training in music technology.

"Focusing on the K-12 community In the late 1990s, the State of Michigan founded Michigan Virtual University to support the state's economic development efforts by providing convenient and cost-effective education and training to Michigan's current and future workforce. After redefining its mission and vision in 2004, MVU now serves the K-12 education community exclusively through the Michigan Virtual School and Michigan LearnPort. As one of the largest virtual schools in the U.S., Michigan Virtual School offers more than 150 online courses, including unique courses like Chinese and CareerForward®, an online career exploration course. Michigan LearnPort brings professional development to the K-12 educational community. Hosting a broad catalog of courses and collaborative tools, Michigan LearnPort provides online learning resources and solutions for educators. MVU provides powerful and engaging online career development tools for high school and middle school students, parents and K-12 educators, including a no-cost online course called CareerForward that helps all Michigan schools meet the state's online learning graduation requirement. MVU's web-based application called myDreamExplorer® gives students an opportunity to explore different career pathways, take personal interest surveys and build a personalized education development plan. The MVU organizational values represent a set of core beliefs that continue to build a high performance team environment. These value statements serve as the foundation for MVU's vision and mission statements. MVU is committed to the following values: High standards for quality, ongoing research and the use of data to improve operational decisions; Use of innovative technologies to address persistent educational challenges; Listening to customer and stakeholder feedback to guide product and service evelopment plans; Excellence in the design, development and delivery of online educational