Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Endow $21 Million in Chicago Schools

The Bill and Melinda Gates Organization made an investment of $21 million in Chicago Schools to fortify the students’ research for college. The gift funds the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative, which will provide for major improvements in high school curriculum and instruction to ensure the students are prepared to succeed in college and career.

Under this scheme, the homework structure and teaching methods of 50 high schools will be changed. The goal is to give all students access to a high class education, while keeping them motivated throughout their high school years. Courses will be offered to capture student interest, while providing them with the knowledge needed to graduate and go on to college or another form of post-high school education. The initiative also will provide teachers who are well prepared and able to inspire these young people with a love of learning and desire to excel.

Like many other large urban districts, traditional high schools in the Chicago schools struggle to provide challenging and relevant coursework with the personalized instruction required for all students. Currently in the Chicago schools, only 47 percent of graduates go on to college, while 46 percent of 9th graders dropout before graduation. Many of those who persist on to college find they need remedial classes to cover content they should have mastered in high school.

The Gates Foundation chose Chicago schools to be one of the first big cities to meet this challenge for today’s youth. The Chicago schools were eager to partner in this endeavor.

Initially, Chicago schools will implement the transformation plan with 14 high schools, starting with the 9th grade. The redesign initiative then expands to other grades and to 36 additional high schools over the next three years. The initial 14 schools are:

• Bowen Environmental Studies Team (BEST)
• Carver Military Academy
• Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville
• Clark Academic Prep High School
• Crane High School
• Dunbar Vocational High School
• Dyett High School
• Fenger Academy High School
• John Hope College Preparatory High School
• Kenwood Academy
• Wendell Phillips High School
• School of the Arts, South Shore Campus
• Mose Vines Preparatory Academy at Orr Campus
• George Washington High School

The goals of the broad redesign initiative are to improve classroom instruction, provide more options and opportunities for students and their parents, and to make Chicago schools performance more accountable to parents and the community. The five most significant challenges to be addressed by the Chicago schools are strengthening the curriculum, increasing rigor and relevance of coursework, adding depth to course content, improving professional development, and providing better school-based support.

The curriculum areas of focus are English, mathematics and science with teachers providing more instructional support in these subjects. A new school accountability tool for parents is the scorecard. The card tracks a school’s performance in areas, such as graduation rate, school climate, teacher information, and student achievement. One area of improvement of benefit to teachers, students and parents, alike, is the recruitment of and professional support for high quality principals for the Chicago schools.

The initiative is one of the most thoughtful and comprehensive approaches to high school reform in the nation with its aim of raising expectations and preparing every student for success after high school.

The initiative gives Chicago schools the potential to significantly impact the quality of education students receive in high school and put them on the right track to succeed after graduation.

How to Select the Perfect College

To select a college, which befits your needs is probably the most important decision that you to have to make as a student. The process involves considering several critical factors and weighing the importance of those factors against large magnitude of choices that are available.

The selection of a college will determine as how you will pass the most important, joyous, and responsible years of life. However, you also need to evaluate your interest, while choosing a college.

Tips:

Consider the academic strength:

When college authorities evaluate your application form, they weigh the level of difficulty of your course work. It also means that you are ready to take up challenging courses. Hence, you need to choose a coursework, which contains different subjects.

For instance, if you are interested in fine art, then your preparatory coursework needs to include subjects such as four years of English study
, three to four years of math, science, foreign language and social studies.

If you intend to enroll yourself in an exclusive institution, you need to set the academic challenges that suit your capabilities. For instance, honors level course or selection of an advanced placement course will surely impress the admission committee as opposed to regular level course.

Another tip while selecting the field is that you might have developed skills in particular subjects during your high school days. Select the field, which interests you and will help to locate jobs after passing from the college.

Extracurricular activities

Consider your interest in extracurricular activities and your involvement in activities such as games, theater, and art outside the schoolroom while selecting a college. Colleges wish to attract learners, who can make positive contribution to college environment. You will find certain key phrases in application form such as your area of interest, sustained commitments and hobbies.

Here, college authorities evaluate and search for students, who are interested in only in few good activities such as theater, singing or sports, and avoid those, who wish to spread their dedications over a broad spectrum of extracurricular activities.

Thus, colleges put up their lists after rating the academic results as well as personal interests in extracurricular activities.

Standardized Testing:

Standardized testing is another confusing aspect, while selecting a college. While taking admissions, do not consider the standardized testing criterions to rate the performance of a college, as there are only few institutions with top rankings. Instead, check the competency level of staff. If possible, inquire about the teaching staff from ex-students of that college.

Another misconception, which many students harbor in their minds, is that they have to give at least two tests to gain admission in eminent colleges. In addition, they think they need to pass both the tests.

However, this is not true, as there are only few institutions, which have this criteria and it is beneficial for students, because if they fail in the first test, they can score in the second test and gain admission in college. Thus, you have to give it a serious thought as well as consideration, while making the best decision regarding your coursework and college.

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Why Online Colleges Make a Good Selection

Many people consider taking a college course online, but admittedly, online schools are not for everyone – even though online education is where the future of education is taking us.

On one hand, it is possible – and even probable – that a form of “brick-and-mortar” public school will always exist. Social skills and learning to interact with others are important, and will become ever more vital as society (hopefully) moves from the destructive, greed-driven, self-centered “winner-take-all-you’re-on-your-own” mentality of mindless globalization and predatory free market hyper capitalism toward a more cooperative, localized, community-based model focused on human needs rather than those of the market.

However, these public schools of the future are likely to focus on traditional group activities, such as ensemble music, team sports, theater and industrial skills – endeavors which require co-operation and live interactions.

On the other hand, there are many academic subjects that can be studied more effectively without the usual distractions. This is one reason that college degrees online are becoming increasingly popular (and high school degrees are following suit). Many people find it easier to focus on their studies in the peace, quiet and privacy of their own homes. This is one major advantage of online college degree programs.

The challenge lies in the fact that there is nothing to force one to study – no bells, schedules, live professors, senior classmates, nor any of the other people and things that normally motivate us. Pursuit of an online degree requires a high level of intrinsic – that is to say, internal – motivation, or locus of control.

That said, the fact that you are reading this indicates that you are already have the intrinsic motivation to pursue studies online, on your own.

In fact, if you are a working adult with a family, studying at an online college makes a great deal of sense. Not only do you set your own schedule, you set your own pace as well. Most online courses allow a student up to an entire year to complete class requirements – which are pretty much the same as they are in a traditional brick-and-mortar setting; you’ll be expected to read text assignments, hear lectures (either in some type of audio/video format or via podcast), complete written assignments (yes, term papers) and take exams.

Of course, online education isn’t just for older, “non-traditional” students. High schoolers can get a “running start” on their college degrees online. In fact, increasing numbers of high schools around the nation are coordinating just these sorts of programs. Young people of high-school age should check with their counselors about such opportunities at their schools.

Completing college coursework online can also save a great deal of money. Up to the first two years can even be completed by examination through the College Level Examination Program, or CLEP. Successful completion of these exams enable one to earn from 6 to 12 credits for a small fraction of the cost of a traditional college course.

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The Significance Of A University Education

The world in which we live is constantly evolving. We are demanding more and more from our citizens than ever before and in order to live up to the demands of the world we need a solid education upon which to base our skills and knowledge.

There are many alternatives available for receiving an education these days, which is good news for those who have not yet managed to obtain a four-year college degree. Truthfully, that degree is the difference in literally hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime than not having a degree.

Four Reasons For A Four-Year Education

Money. The first reason that you should consider a university degree is the fact that it will substantially increase your earning potential. If nothing else appeals to you, this is typically the one reason that most people return to school after years in the work place.

If you are in high school and haven’t really had to deal with the bills and burdens that many adults face it’s difficult to explain how important any edge when it comes to earning ability truly is.

However, you should be aware that you need to choose your major wisely if money is your sole motivation. Not all careers pay equally when compare to the education required to enter them.

Insurance. This may seem like a strange term to use when discussing why you should get a university education but this is perhaps the best insurance you can find as far as employability goes.

Having a university degree gives you a competitive edge over those who do not. In many cases you will find that education is beginning to trump experience as employers are seeking workers with more rounded skills rather than those with very specific skills.

The modern university typically requires a brief exposure to all kinds of information and coursework that isn’t necessarily related to your major. This provides graduates with a broader understanding of the world (at least that is the assumption).

Employability. Believe it or not, those with degrees are much more employable than those that do not have them. There was a time when the trend was to employ those who had experience over those who had education.

That trend is rapidly evaporating as companies want employees that can fill multiple roles more and more often. The limited exposure to certain ideas or ideals and principles that most people receive as part of their university education makes you a more employable candidate because you should be able to adapt and adjust, as this was required during your educational process.

Confidence. There is nothing quite like believing in yourself. Getting a four-year education is one way to build confidence not only on a personal level but also on a professional level. Whether or not you realize it, this is often the best reason for pursuing a university degree.

This reason, as a matter of fact, will actually affect all of the other things I mentioned above. If you have more confidence in your ability you will be more willing to go out there and get the job done. As a result, you will earn more money and you will insure that you are an asset to your company by proving yourself to be just that.

Regardless of your personal reason for pursuing a university degree there are very few wrong reasons to get your degree. Good luck in your educational pursuits. I know they will serve you well.

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Know The Coursework Required To Get A High School Diploma

It is not very easy to earn a high school diploma. If you are a student then you need to complete several courses in the required manner for finally getting through the process of high school diploma certification. Students who opt out of high school due to academic reasons or lack of finance should try and complete the high school coursework and earn a diploma. For such students the best choice to complete their studies would be selecting a good online accredited college and continue working from home or create a schedule. In short, you cannot consider classroom education as the only method of gaining a high school diploma anymore; you can even sit at home and study to obtain a diploma while managing your career and family life. One major advantage of doing an online course is that you can make your own schedule. You can carry on with the course at your own speed rather than completing it in a predefined average time constraint of high school. Due to this the students not only undergo less amount of pressure but the probabilities of getting good results are also higher. This means that the same level of expertise can be signified by a qualified course in all the fields while spending comparatively less time pursuing the designed course.

Coursework Writing: The curriculum in high schools is fixed and the students need to follow and complete it so that they can graduate. The course is designed in such a manner that students can get a well rounded education. With the help of such a thorough education system, students are made well equipped to face the professional world. There is a variation in the courseware from one state to the other and on a general basis the students are expected to complete the following requirements:

Math- 2-4 Courses

English- 3-4 Courses

Social Studies- 3 Courses

Science- 2-3 Courses

Foreign Language- 1-3 Courses

Physical Education- 2 Courses

Students are given the option of choosing elective courses. Different elective courses are offered by each high school and students can choose. Generally a student should select courses that would prove to be useful to him or her later in life. If a student is willing to continue with college education then he or she should select courses which are specified by the college. There are many universities and colleges that prefer to admit students who are able to offer more than the minimum requirements and specific subjects like math, social studies, foreign languages and English. So the students can make use of the elective courses they have selected for fulfilling their college eligibility criteria and in case they are willing to pursue a career, they can choose elective courses that are career oriented. Advanced placement courses: These are courses where a student can major in subjects such as English, math, social science, science and foreign languages. Advanced placement courses can be of great help in enhancing a student’s aptitude as well as the capacity of completing the GCSE coursework. Colleges and universities provide often extra credit points if students complete the coursework and pass the advanced exam that is held by the College Board. There is no compulsion for high school students to opt for these subjects.

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