Resource Center

IDRA Newsletter 2016

Published 10 times a year, the IDRA Newsletter provides resources and insight for strengthening and transforming public education to serve students from communities that have historically been underserved like Black and Latino students and students from families with limited means. We publish our newsletter in print and online with highlights in our eNews.

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Below are articles published in 2016. To find a particular article or subject this year, see the index below or use the search bar above, which covers all years.

IDRA Newsletter 2016 Index

Dec 31, 2016

Go to the main IDRA Newsletter page November-December 2016 IDRA Newsletter – Principal Leadership “The challenge before us is not … read more

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Fostering Excellence through Social Justice Principles in Schools Serving English Learners

Dec 30, 2016

• by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D. • IDRA Newsletter • November-December 2016 • The school principal is central to providing an equitable … read more

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School Leadership Transforming Schools with Linguistically Diverse Student Populations

Dec 30, 2016

• Kristin Grayson, Ph.D. • IDRA Newsletter • November-December 22016 • School leaders have been increasingly facing new challenges with the … read more

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Meet Sulema Carreón-Sánchez, Ph.D., Senior Education Associate

Dec 30, 2016

• IDRA Newsletter • November-December 2016 • Meet Sulema Carreón-Sánchez, Ph.D., Senior Education Associate “The difference between perseverance and obstinacy … read more

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Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Winning Essay by Stefan García

Oct 30, 2016

• IDRA Newsletter • October 2016 •  Editor’s Note: IDRA sponsored a national essay competition among participants in the IDRA … read more

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Instruction for Secondary English Learners – Major Challenges, Solutions and Possibilities

Oct 25, 2016

• by Kristin Grayson, Ph.D. • IDRA Newsletter • October 2016 Simultaneously learning English and academic content can be challenging for … read more

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In-Grade Retention in the Early Years – What’s Holding Children Back?

Oct 25, 2016

• by Paula Johnson, M.A. • IDRA Newsletter • October 2016 How willing are you to lose 2 percent of anything? Two … read more

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Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2015-16 – High School Attrition Inches Up to 25 Percent

Oct 25, 2016

• by Roy L. Johnson, M.S. • IDRA Newsletter • October 2016 The overall high school attrition rate in Texas inched … read more

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In Memoriam: Ms. Sarah H. Alemán

Oct 22, 2016

• IDRA Newsletter • October 2016 • Ms. Sarah H. Alemán, friend and colleague, passed away on August 30, 2016, … read more

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Co-Leading and Co-Transforming Schools – School Administrators and Family Leaders in Education

Sep 25, 2016

• by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed. • IDRA Newsletter • September 2016 As our neighborhood public schools in the poorest areas … read more

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Project Based Learning – Changing Learning Paradigms One Lesson at a Time

Sep 25, 2016

• by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., and Nadiah Al-Gasem, Ph.D. • IDRA Newsletter • September 2016 • Project-based learning (PBL) engages students! … read more

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Will States Use ESSA to Undermine Communities of Color as Some Have for Voting Rights?

Sep 25, 2016

• By David G. Hinojosa, J.D., and Jerry Wilson, M.A. • IDRA Newsletter • September 2016 • More than 50 … read more

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Meet Charles Cavazos, Education Associate

Aug 30, 2016

 • IDRA Newsletter • August 2016 • Charles Cavazos is the data analyst at IDRA. Charles is from San Antonio … read more

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Positive School Climates and Diverse Populations

Aug 30, 2016

• by Kristin Grayson, Ph.D. • IDRA Newsletter • August 2016 Examining school climate is essential as the new academic year … read more

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Unlocking Instruction Through Structured Teaching

Aug 30, 2016

• by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D. • IDRA Newsletter • August 2017 The understanding that changes in school organization and practices can … read more

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Fostering Culturally Diverse Learning Environments

Aug 30, 2016

• by Paula Johnson, M.A. • IDRA Newsletter • August 2016 There is an ever increasing threat spreading throughout many schools … read more

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Open Source Learning Tools Make STEM Possible in Underserved Schools

Jul 15, 2016

• Mark Barnett • IDRA Newsletter • June-July 2016 • One of the major obstacles to providing a rich STEM education … read more

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Differences as Deficiencies – The Persistence of the 30 Million Word Gap

Jul 15, 2016

• Sofía Bahena, Ed.D. • IDRA Newsletter • June-July 2016 In researching language development and acquisition, it is critical to value … read more

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Confusing Correlation with Causation

Jul 15, 2016

• Sofía Bahena, Ed.D. • IDRA Newsletter • June-July 2016 It is common knowledge that correlation does not imply causation. Mark … read more

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Six Teens Win 2016 National Essay Contest Awards

Jul 03, 2016

IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Tutors Share Stories of the Program’s Impact on Their Lives • IDRA Newsletter • June-July … read more

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