June 28, 2005

NCLB update: Parents must pick a school by July 8
If you are one of 183,000 students currently attending 267 schools identified by the state as "schools in need of improvement" (SINI), you may be eligible to transfer to a better performing school. But you must act fast... more

High school admissions: Summer workshops and new directory 
The Department of Education is making it easier for anxious parents eager to get a head start on the high school application process... more

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Summer opportunities for students:

• Bank of America Foundation is accepting applications for its Neighborhood Excellence Student Leaders Award. It will arrange 5 paid summer internships with community organizations and nonprofits and assign each student a mentor from Bank of America. High school students who will be juniors or seniors during the 2005-2006 school year are eligible. The application deadline is June 30, 2005.

• The Women of Color Policy Network is administering the "Beyond the Window" summer program, which helps young women of color to explore urban issues. The program is free to young women of color, aged 16-18, who are currently high school students and will be held from July 18 to August 23rd at the NYU Wagner School (located at 295 Lafayette in Manhattan). Call program coordinator Melissa Mendez at 212-998-7561 for details.

New & noteworthy reports:

• After-school programs improve classroom behavior:
  A newly completed study shows that high quality after-school programs contribute to improvement in children's behavior during the school day. The 7-year study, carried out by Fordham University's National Center for School and Communities, surveyed children in 80 New York City after-school programs sponsored by the Virtual Y. The study also found children attending afterschool had better attendance at school and performed better in math than children who did not attend.

• High crime schools are overcrowded, underfunded:
  Mayor Mike Bloomberg has dispatched more police officers to a dozen schools with high crime rates designated as "impact schools." But a new report by the non-profit Drum Major Institute suggests these schools need more than increased police presence. The report shows that impact schools tend to be more overcrowded than other public schools, have less spending per pupils and have more overage students.

Ask Judy 
Insideschools staffer Judy Baum responds to a parent's question about summer enrichment programs... more

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Letters about test scores, NCLB, and gifted programs. Read the letters and send us your thoughts... more