Less than half of high school graduates who took the SAT in 2013 were prepared for college, continuing a five-year trend.

Less than half - 44 percent -- who took the ACT had the reading skills necessary for college. That's down from 53 percent in 2009. And nearly a third failed to meet standards in four areas: reading, English, science and math.

The failures have persisted despite years of new tests, new curricula and new demands on teachers, notes educational researcher and consultant Charles M. Reigeluth, author of "Reinventing Schools: It's Time to Break the Mold," (www.reigeluth.net).

"We continue to approach the same problems with the same sorts of solutions, despite the fact that they're not working," he says. "Instead, we need a fundamental shift in how we educate our children. Our public school system was designed to meet the needs of a long-ago era - the Industrial Age. It's not working because we're now in the Information Age."

Teachers unfairly shoulder much of the blame for the lack of progress, he notes, but they're hamstrung by roles and rules that don't work for 21st century students.

"We need to change from teacher-centered education to learner-centered. In the Industrial Age paradigm, teachers are a judge and a perceived threat. In the Information Age, they should be guides and coaches who help students overcome obstacles," says Reigeluth.

His multidimensional approach includes reducing bureaucracy in schools; encouraging students to teach each other with teacher supervision; having interns and other paraprofessionals, including retiree volunteers, assist with guiding student learning; and creating an "educational cooperative," where a community's adults can earn access to learning resources, advancing their own education, in exchange for helping students learn.

"The new paradigm can significantly reduce the cost of education while increasing the quality," says Reigeluth, who outlines the five new roles teachers would have in this redesigned system.

•  Mentor ... the same 20 to 30 students for several years, addressing all aspects of student development. Students and teachers would develop the deeper relationships that foster real caring on both sides. Mentors would help students prepare a personal learning plan for each project period, six to 12 weeks, including helping each student and his parents choose appropriate instructional goals, subject to standards set by the community, state and nation. Mentors would also help identify and support the best means for each student to achieve those goals.

•  Designer ... of student work options, mostly projects or tasks, to engage students in the learning process. Open educational resources developed by teachers throughout the country and available to all educators for free via the Internet can alleviate much of the burden of the designer role.

•  Facilitator ... of the learning process, which entails monitoring student progress, enhancing student motivation and coaching student performance.

•  Learner ... the teacher is always learning with the students, about students, from and for the students. The teacher does not have all the answers, but the teacher helps students find answers. And the teacher is always learning more about how best to meet students' needs. The new paradigm provides sufficient support for teacher learning.

•  Owner and manager ... of the school. Like lawyers and accountants in a small firm, teachers would be partners who own their public school and make decisions about its operations, including budgeting and staffing. This model is already a success at the Minnesota New Country School and other EdVisions schools. This role elevates teachers to that of true professionals, rather than workers controlled by an all-powerful bureaucracy.

"These new roles offer empowerment to those who are most affected by our system, the student and the teacher, the latter of whom I suggest calling 'guides' to better reflect their new roles," Reigeluth says. "The new roles better serve students in the age in which we live."

About Charles M. Reigeluth

Charles M. Reigeluth is a distinguished educational researcher who focuses on paradigm change in education. He has a B.A. in economics from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in instructional psychology from Brigham Young University. He was a professor at the Instructional Systems Technology Department at Indiana University, and is a former chairman of the department. His new book, "Reinventing Schools," (www.reigeluth.net), advocates and chronicles a national paradigm change in K-12 education. He offers presentations and consulting on this topic.

FAYETTE, MO (08/06/2014)(readMedia)-- Stefanie Cornelius, of Bettendorf, has graduated from Central Methodist University with a Master of Science in Nursing according to CMU President Roger Drake.

Cornelius was one of approximately 115 CMU students who participated in Commencement exercises on July 29 in Union.

Since its founding in 1854, CMU has evolved into a university that confers master's, bachelor's and associate's degrees through programming on its main campus in Fayette, Mo., and through extension sites located across Missouri and online.

Governor Quinn Signs Legislation to Protect Workers Across Illinois

Bill Drafted by Attorney General Madigan Limits Payroll Card Fees and Gives Employees More Flexibility

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today signed a law to protect the increasing number of workers across Illinois who receive their compensation through a payroll card. The measure, drafted by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, provides important protections for employees by limiting fees that can be imposed on payroll cards. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure all Illinois workers are treated fairly and receive the compensation they deserve.

"We need to make sure that all Illinois residents are treated fairly when it comes to receiving their hard-earned pay," Governor Quinn said. "No one should be penalized by unnecessary fees when they are trying to collect their wages. I applaud Attorney General Madigan for pushing this common-sense legislation to protect the hardworking men and women of our state. Not only are we fighting to raise the minimum wage in Illinois, but now employees will have the choice between proven and safe ways of receiving all the wages they rightfully deserve."

"Before today, there were better protections on gift cards than payroll cards in Illinois," Attorney General Madigan said. "But with this new law, which will be the strongest of its kind in the country, Illinois employees will no longer have to pay just to get their pay."

Payroll cards are an alternative way to pay employees who do not have traditional banking services. Rather than issuing a paper check, employers provide employees with a payroll card that gets loaded with the employee's wages every pay period. Payroll cards look and operate much like debit cards, and can be used to make withdrawals from an ATM or to make purchases at a store.

The Attorney General's Office began investigating employers' use of payroll cards after receiving complaints from Illinois workers and uncovered a number of harmful practices, including excessive, unreasonable fees that were attached to the cards; $5 account inactivity fees; $3 fees for monthly statements; and 50-cent fees for point-of-sale transactions. Many employers have implemented responsible payroll card programs, but some employers are forcing workers to use payroll cards and failing to provide them with any information about how to use the cards, including how to avoid fees.

House Bill 5622, sponsored by State Representative Arthur Turner (D-Chicago) and State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), ensures that employees are not required to accept a payroll card and can choose another form of payment, such as a paper check or direct deposit. For employees who do accept a payroll card, the new law sets limits on fees and requires employers to clearly provide the terms of their payroll card program.

The new law ensures employees can access their wages without incurring unreasonable fees. This includes a prohibition on fees for overdrafts, transaction history requests and purchases. The law also limits fees for declined transactions and card inactivity. More than 20 states already have similar protections for employees and payroll cards. The law is effective Jan. 1, 2015.

"This is a simple matter of justice for low-wage workers," Senator Raoul said. "The men and women who form the backbone of our economy deserve informed choices, fair treatment and a fair wage, and this law protects those rights."

Throughout his career, Governor Quinn has been a strong advocate for all workers. In 2013, the Governor signed legislation that protects Illinois workers' pay by fighting questionable business practices, particularly in the construction industry. The laws deal with the misclassification of workers and the attempts of employers to avoid paying state employment taxes and premiums.

The Governor fought for and signed a law amending the Equal Pay Act to give victims more time to address issues of underpayment and is leading the charge to increase the state's minimum wage to at least $10 per hour.

In his 2014 State of the State address, Governor Quinn proposed a minimum of two days of earned sick leave per year for 2.5 million Illinois workers who have no sick leave.

**Tuesday, August 5, 2014**

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bill:

Bill No.: SB 1630

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Makes changes to medical billing procedures.

Action: Amendatory Vetoed

Effective: Immediately

A copy of the amendatory veto message is attached.

MADISON (August 5, 2014) - Approximately 6,500 students received degrees during the University of Wisconsin-Madison's May 17, 2014 spring commencement ceremony.

Among the graduates are Alexia Nicole Zatarain, Doctor of Law (Juris Doctor) from Davenport and William Clarence Nunn, Master of Business Administration - Business General Management from Rock Island.

Jon Huntsman, Jr. delivered the charge to graduates at the ceremony, which was held at Camp Randall Stadium

For more information about UW-Madison commencement, visithttp://commencement.wisc.edu. Here are the degree recipients from your area:

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