Leaders for quality public education from cradle to career
The news is out, Washington state is one of the winners of the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC). What does it mean, you ask? Washington state, along with California, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island will share $500 million dollars to go towards early learning initiatives. That’s a [...]
Earlier this week, LEV staff members visited Totem Middle School, and it’s safe to say we were blown away. With half of the students receiving free or reduced lunch, Totem has been able to do something remarkable – turn around their math scores dramatically in just three years. Just take a look at these statistics: [...]
Over the past few years, Washington state has seen a steady increase of National Board Certified (NBC) teachers. In fact, Washington is second in the nation for the most new NBC Teachers. The increase in the number of NBC teachers began in 2007, directly correlating with a bill passed in the legislature that awarded a [...]
When it comes to education, are you afraid to speak up? Don’t feel like you know enough? Or maybe you want to know how some school districts are closing the opportunity gap? Well, break out your activism snuggie because LEV’s activist training is for you! Whether you are new to education activism or a well-seasoned [...]
Scott Markowitz, is a 4th grade teacher at Christensen Elementary School in Franklin Pierce School District in Tacoma who became interested in the idea of using developmental assets in his teaching. Developmental assets are individual resources that young people have available to them that help them have positive experiences and become successful adults. Having caring [...]
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Greg Eisnaugle is the principal of Lincoln Center, a college prep program designed for underprivileged students at Lincoln High School. Inspired by a 60 Minutes story on KIPP Academy, Eisnaugle modeled and implemented KIPP’s successful formula to close the achievement gap at Lincoln Center. Eisnaugle believes that a key teaching strategy is to reach all [...]
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Working with a $30,000 grant awarded by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), closing the achievement gap, Federal Way’s Sacajawea Middle School continues to do what it can to improve education. At a recent board meeting Principal David Brower and assistant principal JoAnne Landis explained how they spent the $30,000. “Because of [...]
Mark Ray, a teacher librarian at Skyview High School in Vancouver. Ray has been teaching for nearly 20 years, most of it at the same district where his father taught and his mother served meals. Parents and co-workers describe Ray as creative and enthusiastic, doing what he can to truly engage students in the curriculum. [...]
The story is way too familiar. A school district in low income area is besieged by mediocre graduation rates and finds little to no support to do otherwise. The Renton school district could have easily fit into that category. Their graduation rate was low at 74 percent and over half of the students qualified for [...]
