Cable in the Classroom Presents Education News Parents Can Use

Cable in the Classroom is pleased to present via podcast [MP3, 54MB], the June 19, 2007 edition of the U.S. Department of Education's Education News Parents Can Use.

This edition showcases several award-winning and effective summer learning programs; explores innovative strategies to academically engage and nurture low-income and disadvantaged youth during the summer; profiles corporate, community and library-based initiatives designed to encourage students to read and learn during the break; and spotlights the efforts of organizations dedicated to providing disadvantaged students with access to books and reading materials in the summer and throughout the year. Educators, policymakers, parents and community leaders will discuss key issues such as:

• Why is it important to sustain academic skills over the break and avoid the “summer slide?”
• What does an effective and high-quality summer learning program look like?
• What kinds of summer programs are available and who offers them?
• What types of summer reading programs are available to students and how can parents find out more about them?
• What can parents do during the summer encourage their children to continue learning?
• How can parents, schools, libraries and community organizations access free children’s books and reading materials?

For more information about this program, please see the U.S. Department of Education's show notes.

Cable in the Classroom is pleased to present via podcast [MP3, 54MB], the April 19, 2007 edition of the U.S. Department of Education's Education News Parents Can Use.

Today, parents have more choices than ever— they can choose from neighborhood schools, charter schools or other public schools of choice, or transfer their children to another public school in or out of district. Families can also select private schools, either religious or secular, or teach their children at home. Free tutoring programs are also available to families with students in certain low-performing schools. This episode highlights Bush Administration proposals to expand public and private school choice, as well as successful charter and school choice programs, as educators, policymakers and parent-leaders discuss key issues such as:

• What are the latest tools and options for parents under No Child Left Behind?
• How has the charter school and school choice movement impacted academic achievement? What does a high-performing choice program or charter school look like?
• If a child is attending a school “in need of improvement,” where does a parent go to find out information on school choice options and free tutoring providers?
• What are Opportunity Scholarships and how might they benefit parents whose children attend chronically underperforming schools?
• What kinds of new choice initiatives can parents look forward to under No Child Left Behind?
• What resources does the Department provide to inform parents about the full range of options available to them under the law?

For more information about this program, please see the U.S. Department of Education's show notes.

Those seeking more information about exemplary charter school programs might be interested in learning about those profiled in several past editions of Cable in the Classroom's Threshold, including most recently here.

Finally, in concert with the producers of Education News Parents Can Use, we would like to add our heartfelt condolences to those touched by the recent Virginia Tech tragedy. Last fall, Cable in the Classroom partnered with the Council of Chief State School Officers to produce a special edition of Threshold focused on disaster preparedness in the 21st century, including advice and resources for school officials charged with emergency planning for schools.

Cable in the Classroom is pleased to present via podcast [MP3, 55MB], the March 20, 2007 edition of the U.S. Department of Education's Education News Parents Can Use.

In an era when what students know is the most important factor in determining success, postsecondary education has never been more critical. Yet, there are far too many Americans who want to go to college but can’t, either because they’re not prepared or can’t afford it. In this episode, award-winning educators, university leaders, students and other experts discuss the Commission on the Future of Higher Education's final report and the Secretary' Action Plan for Higher Education, and explore how the Department, parents, schools, and higher education institutions together can put the Commission's recommendations into action to better prepare students for college, to help them succeed once enrolled, and to make college affordable. It addresses questions such as:

• Why is a college education more important than ever before? What federal, state and local strategies are helping us to meet this demand?
• How accessible is higher education? And how can we make it more affordable?
• How can we help students, especially minority youth, prepare for and succeed in college?
• How will the Commission on the Future of Higher Education’s final report and the Secretary’s Action Plan improve the accessibility, affordability and accountability of U.S. colleges and universities?
• When should parents and students start thinking about saving for college, and what programs and resources are available to help?

For more information about this program, please see the U.S. Department of Education's show notes.

Cable in the Classroom is pleased to present via podcast [MP3, 52MB], the January 16, 2007 edition of the U.S. Department of Education's Education News Parents Can Use.

This episode features examples of high-performing public schools that are meeting the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), where all students are succeeding. The program profiles these schools, featuring stories of their classrooms in action and conversations with principals and education experts about how assessment, accountability, parent options and a firm belief that all children can learn is raising the bar as never before. It addresses questions such as:

• Five years after being signed into law, how do we know that No Child Left Behind is working?
• What are the core principles of the law and what do they mean? How do they help students learn?
• How can the reforms of the law be extended to high school and beyond, and why is this important to American competitiveness?
• What kinds of options does No Child Left Behind offer to parents, especially those of students struggling in school? How can parents better take advantage of these choices or find out more about them?
• What are some examples of award-winning schools that have all children learning at grade level today, and what can other schools learn from their examples?
• What new ideas have strengthened No Child Left Behind over the years, such as growth model pilots, teacher incentives, and other initiatives?

For more information about this program, please see the U.S. Department of Education's show notes.

Cable in the Classroom is pleased to present via podcast [MP3, 54MB], the October 17, 2006 edition of the U.S. Department of Education's Education News Parents Can Use.

This episode focuses on what we can do now to prepare for an influenza pandemic—a global outbreak from a new strain of flu—that could have a dramatic impact on our nation’s communities, schools, and families. Although it is difficult to predict when the next pandemic flu might occur or how severe it will be, one thing is certain: educators, parents and community leaders can take steps now to lessen the impact of such an outbreak. The program features experts from across the federal government who are highlighting exemplary flu and emergency preparedness programs; answering questions about the different strains of flu and how they spread; updating an emerging body of resources for families and schools; and providing user-friendly tips for parents on ensuring the safety, health and security of children. It addresses questions such as:

• What are the differences between pandemic, seasonal and bird flu?
  
• What is “H5N1” and why are scientists paying so much attention to it?
  
• What is known about the pandemic flu and the possibility of a future outbreak - and how real is the threat?
  
• What are state, local and federal agencies doing to prepare for the threat of pandemic flu?
  
• How can families prepare now for the threat of a pandemic flu?
  
• What does a “family plan” look like, and how might it be helpful in the event of other emergencies, such as natural disasters?
  
• What kinds of questions should parents ask their children’s schools about their pandemic flu and emergency preparedness plans?
  
• In the event of an outbreak, what measures would schools take, and how would families be notified? And if schools shut down, how can families ensure that their children keep learning?
  
• Where can families go for updated and helpful resources on the pandemic flu?

For more information about this program, please see the U.S. Department of Education's show notes.

Listeners may also be interested in the Fall 2006 edition of Cable in the Classroom's Threshold (produced in partnership with the Council of Chief State School Officers) and in the September 2006 edition of Cable in the Classroom Magazine - both editions of which focused on emergency preparedness in the 21st century.