November- December 2011 IDRA Newsletter – School Holding Power

“Seeing the state’s attrition going down is encouraging. We have witnessed some exciting initiatives by schools and entire districts that are producing results. We cannot ease up. Texas public schools are still failing to graduate one out of every four students.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the November- December 2011 issue

Articles

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2010-11 – High School Attrition Continues Downward Trend, Current Snails-Pace will Block Millions of Students, By Roy L. Johnson, M.S.

Time to Make High School Graduation the New Minimum, By Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel

Strategies for Ensuring Students Make Key PreK-20 Transitions, By Josie D. Cortez, M.A.

October 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Special Edition

In Memoriam

See PDF of the October 2011 issue

Articles

Honoring the Life of Dr. José Angel Cárdenas, By María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.

Su Palabra es Oro ~ His Word is Gold

José Angel Cárdenas Early Childhood Center

Paso por aquí José Angel Cárdenas – Tributes from Colleagues and Friends

September 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Teaching Quality

“The challenge before us is not that the faces of our nation’s children are changing. Our challenge is not our children at all, but rather our capacity, commitment and will as adults to achieve excellence in education for all students – every one.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the September 2011 issue

Articles

Technology Integration in Science and Mathematics – The Opportunity to Explore, by Paula Johnson, M.A., Veronica Betancourt, M.A., and Hector Bojorquez

Community Engagement Tool for Educators, by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., Juanita C. García, Ph.D., and Abelardo Villarreal, Ph.D.

Harnessing the Power of Web 3.0 with IDRA’s OurSchool Data Portal, by Kristin Grayson, M.Ed.

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program High School Winning Essay, By Kayla Rugg

August 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Actionable Knowledge

“We must connect school outcomes – graduation and college readiness – with who and what produces those outcomes – connecting actionable knowledge to support engaged citizens, accountable leadership and enlightened public policy that leverages change.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the August 2011 issue

Articles

IDRA Calls for Greater Federal Role in Education to Increase Excellence and Equity, by María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.

Texas: Turning its Back on the Future – An Assessment of Major Education Policy Reforms Considered by the 82nd Texas Legislature, by Albert Cortez, Ph.D.

Helping Parents Use Data to Improve Schools – An Interview with Anne Foster, Executive Director, Parents for Public Schools, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.

Immigrant Students’ Rights to Attend Public Schools – School Opening Alert

Derechos de los estudiantes inmigrantes a asistir a escuelas públicas – Llamada Urgente durante el Comienzo del Curso Escolar

June- July 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Parent and Community Engagement

“As we proceed with different types of collaborations, we must keep in mind that Latino and African American communities themselves are part of the solution.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the June- July 2011 issue

Articles

Family Leadership in the Field – Lasting Community Leadership in Education, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.

Community Leaders Discuss How PTA Comunitarios Give Voice to Parents in their Children’s Education, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.

The Family, School and Community Partnership Equation – Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Program, by Frances M. Guzmán, M.Ed.

Young Tutors Win National Essay Contest

May 2011 IDRA Newsletter – College Access and Success

“Children rise to the level of expectation that is made of them and to the level of challenge and support that is provided to them.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the May 2011 issue

Articles

Defining a Schoolwide College-Readiness Culture for All Students – An Interview with Roland Toscano, M.S., Principal at East Central High School in San Antonio, by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D.

Ready or Not, Here They Come – Preparing for the Class of 2018, by Laurie Posner, M.P.A.

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Alumni Share their Stories, by Linda Cantú, Ph.D.

April 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Curriculum Quality

“Schools must change and innovate, providing challenging curriculum to match the characteristics of their students and embracing the strengths and contributions that students and their families bring.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the April 2011 issue

Articles

When It Doesn’t Add Up – Developing a New Formula for Math Education, by Paula Martin Johnson, M.A.

Using Semillitas de aprendizaje™ in the Early Childhood Classroom, by Juanita C. García, Ph.D., and Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D.

Cultivating Learner Success, by Veronica Betancourt, M.A.

Five Texas Regions Have Persistently High Student Attrition Rates – Racial-ethnic Gaps Have Increased in All Regions

March 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Governance Efficacy

“Maintaining urgency and clarity in sustainable education reform depends in large measure on community will and informed engagement at the local community level. Schools after all, belong to the community, and change is too important to be left to schools alone.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the March 2011 issue

Articles

Expanding School Governance through Participatory Community Engagement, by Abelardo Villarreal, Ph.D., and Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D.

Connecting Every Student to a Meaningful Future – An interview Dr. Daniel P. King, Superintendent of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo School District, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.

What a Principal Can Do to Create a College-Going Culture, by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D.

News from IDRA’s Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

February 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Change Strategies

“Cross-sector coalitions that reflect our full commitment to educational quality and educational opportunity are a key part of making change happen.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the February 2011 issue

Articles

School and Community Capacity Building for Collaboration, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.

Framing the Context for Fruitful Cross-Race Community – Dialogues to Strengthen Local Education, by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D.

Sowing Seeds of Tolerance and Justice – A Mandate for Educational Equity and Excellence, by Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D.

Don’t Repeat Past Wrongs – Insufficient Attention and Lack of Investment in Education Helped Put Texas Where it Is,, A statement by Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel

January 2011 IDRA Newsletter – Fair Funding

“In one school district in Texas, a classroom of 25 students has 250,000 fewer dollars for the education of its children than does another district. We cannot wait any longer to demand fair funding and close equity gaps.” – Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA President and CEO

See PDF of the January 2011 issue

Articles

Prospects for Texas School Finance Reforms in 2011, by Albert Cortez, Ph.D.

School Principal Discusses the Dramatic Transformation of His School – An Interview with Dr. Lucious Brown, by Sulema Carreón-Sánchez

More Texas Students Are Taking College Entrance and Readiness Exams – But Insufficient Investment Results in Continued Performance Gaps, by Albert Cortez, Ph.D.

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program National Institute Held in Atlanta

Share