IEL staff person Rebecca Hare, Project Coordinator, National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth, recently gave the keynote speech for a conference entitled “Building A Self-Determined Future For All Youth.” It was organized by the Central Massachusetts Regional Transition Team, which is committed to supporting and improving effective secondary transition planning, services and outcomes in Central Massachusetts through an interagency collaborative effort for youth with disabilities. To see the long list of those collaborating organizations and funding for this event, view the conference schedule.

IEL is pleased to announce that the 2008 Jacqueline P. Danzberger Lecturer will be John Merrow, Education Correspondent, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and President of Learning Matters, Inc.  The event will be held April 9, 2008 4:00-6:00 pm, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC, and is co-sponsored by IEL and SchoolNet®, with the continued support of donors to the Jacqueline P. Danzberger Fund.  View the program for this year’s Lecture, including the list of donors.  If you would like to be notified when excerpted remarks from this year’s 2008 lecture are available, please send an e-mail to Denise Slaughter at slaughterd@iel.org.

Kansas City Business Journal book reviewer Michael Braude said the new book, Giving Back: Connecting You, Business and Community, "...belongs on the required reading list at every business school." (Mar 7-13, 2008 issue, p. 38). The book was co-authored by IEL Board Member Bert Berkley, chairman of Tension Envelope Corp., and Peter Economy, a professional business author, and published by John Wiley & Sons Inc. The book shines a spotlight on several projects across the country that shows how business people can help influence and implement positive change for their communities and our nation through innovative ways of "giving back." In addition to his roles at Tension Envelope and on IEL's Board of Directors, Berkley founded the Local Investment Commission (LINC) and is a past chairman of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. In a former column years ago, Braude described Kansas City's Berkley family as a "great local asset." Berkley's dedication in the book reads, "This book is dedicated to the many millions of Americans who aren't just talking about society's problems, but who are doing something to solve them," which is how IEL would describe Bert himself, a man who has invested tireless efforts--as well as money--in helping to improve conditions in his community and in the country. To order a copy of Giving Back ($27.95), contact Rainy Day Books, Inc., The Fairway Shops, 2706 W 53rd Street, Fairway, KS 66205-1705, Phone: 913-384-3126, or send an e-mail to Mailbox@RainyDayBooks.com.

IEL Facilitates Training at NCCEP Capacity Building Workshop:  More than 1,200 GEAR UP leaders convened in Las Vegas February 11-14, 2008, to participate in the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships’ (NCCEP's) Capacity Building Workshop, which offered six informative training tracks.  The newest NCCEP workshop track, “Leadership for GEAR UP Professionals,”  was designed and facilitated by IEL staff, President, Betty Hale, and Kwesi Rollins, Community Leadership Project Director.  The training was anchored by two resources from IEL:  (1) the Engaging All Leaders Framework (PDF), developed by IEL and Cable in the Classroom; and (2) IEL’s Collaborative Leadership Qualities Inventory (PDF). Contact Betty or Kwesi if you are interested in similar training for your organization. 

IEL wonders about the possible disconnect between adults addressing today's education challenges--and the youth who are most affected by those in charge. Weigh in on the question after looking at a video we found posted on You Tube, as noted in the current issue of IELeadership Connections (Jan-Feb 2008). You'll find our usual digest of information and resources you may have missed, along with another "musing" from IEL's resident muse, president Betty Hale. If you are not already subscribed, please take a moment to join our expanding list of readers—and to share information and feedback with our editor to help inform future issues.

The National Collaborative for Workforce Development for Youth (staffed by/housed at IEL, and supported by U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy [(ODEP]), has produced the following resources, all available for free through their Web site (in accessible formats) or in hard copy (for a nominal fee):

• Hot off the presses!  The High School/High Tech Program Guide: A Comprehensive Transition Program Promoting Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for Youth with Disabilities (Jan 2008) is an updated and much expanded version of the original manual produced in 2003 (with over 100,000 downloads of edition one!).  HS/HT exposes youth with disabilities to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (the STEM careers) and encourages them to pursue postsecondary education to prepare for such careers.  HS/HT has spread to numerous states (e.g., CO, DE, FL, GA, MD, MI, MN, OH, OK, PA, SC and TX), and as a result, the new edition is full of information and materials that can be used by existing HS/HT programs for improvement and expansion, and by new and developing programs to guide their implementation efforts.  The Guide includes tips for partnership development, service strategies, activities, curriculum, and success stories, as well as their many examples of systemic change impacting how states and localities approach the provision of transition services—plus very useful and interesting resource links are at the end of each chapter.  The Guide is available in full or by chapters.
• Negotiating the Curves Toward Employment:  A Guide About Youth Involved in the Foster Care System (Nov 2007)—This guide has been developed to encourage collaborative efforts between child welfare, mental health, workforce development, schools, and other community institutions to improve the transition—and opportunities—into adulthood for youth in the foster care system.
• Tunnels and Cliffs: A Guide for Workforce Development Practitioners and Policymakers serving Youth with Mental Health Needs (Nov 2007)—This guide has been developed to help workforce development practitioners, administrators, and policymakers enhance their understanding of youth with mental health needs, and the supports necessary to help them transition into the workforce successfully.  It provides practical information and resources for youth service practitioners, and it provides policy makers—from the program to the state level—with information to help them improve service delivery systems for youth by addressing system and policy obstacles. 

Calling all Friends of Betty Hale…. She has been described by our staff, colleagues, and friends as being "one-degree separated" from most any other person in America---and we might even say anyone on Earth. So, you might find this item interesting in the the popular blog "This Week In Education," written by Alexander Russo---who recognizes this quality about IEL's leader and mentor to many others. To read his November 6 entry, visit this link. To visit Russo's blog, visit http://www.thisweekineducation.com/.

IEL "unveils" its "L" word----i.e., our take on leadership----in the current issue of IELeadership Connections (Aug-Oct 2007). You will find a link to the IEL Leadership Competencies, a framework that describes what knowledge, skills, and attributes we consider critical for the preparation and development of leaders who can produce better results for all children and youth. You'll find our usual digest of information you might have missed and another "musing" from IEL's resident muse, president Betty Hale, along with more events and recommended sites. If you are not already subscribed, please take a moment to join our expanding list of readers—and to share information and feedback with our editor to help inform future issues.

Over many decades, lots of people and organizations have focused their attention on achievement gaps. Many reasons have surfaced, often repeated in study after study—such as income and education level of the household, the level of involvement of parents and community, and, of course, highly qualified teachers and school resources. But, in excerpted/edited remarks made to attendees at the 2007 Danzberger Memorial Lecture (co-sponsored by IEL and the National School Boards Association), Claude Steele, Ph.D., added another critical ingredient that may be missing from our attempts to address these gaps: a sense of belonging. Dr. Steele, Director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, shared the results of his and other’s research on the impact of environment and culture on minorities and women (including a PowerPoint that is unfortunately not available in this publication), and what it may mean for reforms focused on improving outcomes. He underscored the role that leaders take to shape better environments for better results. Click here to download a copy of the publication (in PDF format), “Making School A Place Where Everyone Succeeds: Belonging is Necessary for Learning.”

IEL has joined the list of organizations endorsing the Data Quality Campaign, which is a national, collaborative effort to encourage and support state policymakers to: (1) improve the collection, availability, and use of high-quality education data; and (2) implement state longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement. The DQC was created in 2005, with support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and is managed by the National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA). See the DQC Web site for more information and a list of the managing and endorsing organizations.

The NCWD/Youth, staffed by and housed at IEL, was recently awarded a 24-month cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) to establish a National Technical Assistance Center on Transition and Employment for Youth with Disabilities. (To see ODEP press release, click here.) IEL has been operating the NCWD/Youth (National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth) since 2001, and with this new funding will continue its original goal: to build the capacity of workforce development, economic development, and educational service delivery systems to ensure that youth with disabilities graduate from high school, and either enter employment or continue their education. The other partners in NCWD/Youth include: the National Youth Employment Coalition, Washington, D.C.; the PACER Center, Minneapolis, Minn.; the Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin—Madison; and the University of Minnesota's Institute for Community Integration in Minneapolis. To take a look at the information and publications that are making NCWD/Y a major resource, visit www.ncwd-youth.info.

Wouldn't you be interested in joining the ranks of the "6000+" alumni of IEL’s flagship program? That's the Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP), a 10-month in-service professional development program now in its 44th year! It is designed to prepare mid-level leaders in public and private organizations to exercise greater responsibility in creating and implementing sound public policy in education and related fields. EPFP participants hold full-time positions in diverse organizations at the local, state, and national levels. See a list of the states where the EPFP currently operates and learn more about the application process. Or, if we are not yet active in your state, contact us about the considerations and process for establishing one in your state. [NOTE: Most applications are due by mid-August, so don't delay.] For more information on the program and applying, please visit http://www.iel.org/epfp/program/ or contact program associate Kimberly McConkey at mcconkeyk@iel.org or 202-822-8405 x 135.

This new guide, A Public Policy Primer: How To Get Off the Sidelines and Into the Game, is intended to demystify policymaking and provide the average person with the guidelines, insights, and a “know-how recipe” to be able to help shape local and national policy decisions. Written in a conversational tone by noted expert David C. Hollister, a life-long public servant and former mayor of Lansing, MI, the Policy Primer uses his personal experience to illustrate key elements of effective (or ineffective) policymaking. Even people who work inside the policymaking world will find Hollister’s interpretation a useful resource, as he lifts the lid on the state house and Congress and pulls back the curtain on what occurs behind the scene. The Policy Primer is co-published by the Michigan Education Policy Fellowship Program, where Hollister has served as a resource person for 25 years. It is available for free download (PDF) from either IEL or the MI/EPFP.

With the help of work generated by IEL staff, Joan Wills and Curtis Richards, the HSC Foundation is launching a multi-year Youth Transitions Initiative to assist young people with disabilities and chronic illness in the Washington metropolitan area and beyond to move from school to adulthood and the world of work. To move the transition agenda forward to a higher level, the Foundation has identified three broad categories of effort required to (1) improve the connections among the varying programs and systems of services; (2) promote high expectations among the transitioning youth, their families, service providers, and employers; and (3) assist in the development of a competent workforce to provide transition services. To learn more about the YT Initiative, visit the HSC Foundation's site at http://www.hscfoundation.org/whatwedo/youthtransitionsinitiative.php.

Global competition and America's education system----everyone's talking about it, and so is IEL in a commentary in the lastest issue of IELeadership Connections (Feb 2007), written by Douglas Brattebo, Director of IEL's Education Policy Fellowship Program. You'll also find another "musing" from IEL's resident muse, president Betty Hale, on the "whole leader" watch, as well as new "Events" and "Photos" links. If you are not already subscribed, please take a moment to join our expanding list of readers—and to share information and feedback with our editor to help inform future issues.

The Coalition for Community Schools is now accepting applications for its second annual awards program. The first year’s effort was an enormous success: honorees received media and other attention nationally and in their communities, and set a sterling example for others to follow. (One winner from Long Beach, CA, was featured in a cover article in a Parade magazine insert last fall.) These awards are given based on (1) the extent to which a community school or initiative has developed purposeful partnerships with other organizations that are well-integrated in the life of the school; (2) the extent to which families and community residents are extensively involved in the community school; (3) the extent to which school personnel are connected to community partners and to the community; (4) and the extent to which community-based learning approaches are being used. Applications must be received no later than March 22, 2007. Visit the CCS' site for criteria and other information: http://communityschools.org/. Questions can be directed to Amy Berg at 202-822-8405 x100.

HS Alliance Director To Serve on Expert Panel on High School Improvement
Naomi G. Housman, IEL staff member and Director of the National High School Alliance, will serve on the Friends of the National High School Center Working Group, a distinguished panel of award-winning practitioners, distinguished researchers, and senior staff from national education organizations and foundations, convened to share best practices on pressing issues in high school improvement. The working group will provide guidance and direction as the the National High School Center offers high school-related assistance to the Regional Comprehensive Centers of the U.S. Department of Education.
Learn more about the National High School Center at http://www.betterhighschools.org/.

There are a whole lot of supports and resources that need to be in place---and often aren't---for improved outcomes for children and youth. And, it takes "whole leaders" to meet those challenges. Read the commentary in the latest issue of IELeadership Connections (December 2006), co-authored by Martin J. Blank and Amy Berg of the Coalition for Community Schools (and also part of IEL's staff). You'll also find another "musing" from IEL's resident muse, president Betty Hale, on a similar topic. If you are not already subscribed, please take a moment to join our expanding list of readers—and to share information and feedback with our editor to help inform future issues.

Principal Kim Johnson of Lincoln Elementary School in Evansville, IN, said: “At first we all thought, ‘I don’t need another thing to do,’ but now that we’ve been doing it for awhile, we wouldn’t do school any other way.” What way is that? We recommend you read a new paper that highlights the reasons a growing number of principals are increasingly working outside of their traditional boundaries—i.e., with families and the community—to do their jobs more effectively. Community and Family Engagement: Principals Share What Works was released in November 2006 by the Coalition for Community Schools, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and funded by the MetLife Foundation. Through interviews and focus groups, this paper provides principals’ insights into why they engage community, why doing so is hard, and what strategies and approaches they find most effective, as they struggle to improve student outcomes and close the achievement gap. Copies of the report are available at the Coalition for Community Schools’ web site: www.communityschools.org. Please contact Amy Berg at berga@iel.org if you would like to learn more about community schools or to see if there are any in your community.

Do you know what "Universal Design" is? Whether you do or not, read an interesting article on the topic by Curtis Richards, Senior Fellow, Center for Workforce Development at IEL, and review the other news and resources in the latest issue of IELeadership Connections (September 2006). If you are not already subscribed, please take a moment to join our expanding list of readers-and to share information and feedback with our editors to help inform future issues.

The Coalition for Community Schools has released a new paper, All Together Now: Sharing Responsibility for the Whole Child. This paper was commissioned and published by the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), which has convened a Commission that includes leading thinkers, researchers, and practitioners from a variety of sectors to address successful student learning and recast the current narrow focus of schools. IEL is providing technical expertise and project management for the Commission (see IEL's page for more info at http://www.iel.org/programs/cwc.html). The Commission will issue policy and practice recommendations to improve educational excellence and equity and advance the goal of student success for each learner. To read the Coalition's paper, please click here http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/sharingresponsibility.pdf.

What makes the 11 communities cited in the new Coalition for Community School's report so different? It's the role that leadership has played in mobilizing the whole community for a better system of connections and supports that benefit children and, ultimately, their schools and communities. From large cities, like Chicago, to small ones, like Tukwila, there are many examples of these arrangements and lessons learned that are the focus of Growing Community Schools: The Role of Cross-Boundary Leadership, released May 9, 2006. Visit the CCS' Web site to download a copy of the report and see why more and more communities are adopting community schools as their primary vision for and school reform model, at http://communityschools.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=60. The CCS is staffed by and housed at IEL.

Consider how useful The Framework: A Tool to Develop Collective Leadership for Community Change might be in your work or in your community. This is a document that depicts the states of community change and leadership development that can enhance the efforts of any group and is based on the theory of change developed by the two coordinating organizations (IEL and CEL) for a multi-site project (Kellogg Leadership for Community Change, http://www.iel.org/programs/klcc.html). The project’s objective was to improve the quality of teaching and learning in six communities, many with histories of oppression, racial division, and economic distress. The Framework (see the centerfold, pp.10-11) is an operational tool that translates the critical discoveries made during the design and delivery of this program into strategies and practices to help guide other communities toward a sustainable plan for change and improvement. It is available for download from the IEL Web site at www.iel.org/pubs/klccframework.pdf.

The Coalition for Community Schools released a new paper, Community-Based Learning: Engaging Students for Success and Citizenship. Research shows that as many as 60% of all students are disengaged from learning and that this is a key factor in the dropout rate. How do we combat this disengagement? Community-based learning addresses these issues by involving students in real-world problem solving that ignites the imagination and the intellect of our young people. It sparks students' passion for learning and prepares them for success and citizenship. As highlighted in this paper, studies have shown that students who are involved in this approach have increased attendance rates, improved academic outcomes, and are more likely to graduate on time. To read the report go to http://www.communityschools.org. This study was supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.