Federal Government Approves Flexibility Needed for Successful Implementation of State Strategies to Improve Student Learning

CHICAGO - After pushing for more than two years, Governor Pat Quinn and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced today that Illinois has won approval from the United States Department of Education for its request for flexibility from parts of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law to improve the quality of education for Illinois' schoolchildren. The approved waiver gives Illinois needed flexibility to continue its progress in implementing a comprehensive strategy to improve education in Illinois by closing achievement gaps, supporting our most challenged districts and preparing all students for college, career and beyond.

"Today's approval is a big step forward that will allow Illinois to do what's best for our kids and improve the quality of education throughout our state," Governor Quinn said. "In 2011, we enacted landmark education reform that made our schools stronger and more accountable. Now, with this federal approval, we will continue to improve the quality of education in Illinois and better prepare our students to be successful in college, career and beyond."

Illinois has moved forward already with many elements of the waiver, including the adoption of college and career ready learning standards in English, Language Arts and Mathematics in the summer of 2010. In 2011, Governor Quinn signed landmark education reforms that strengthened accountability in our schools and training for teachers, administrators and school board members. The historic measure set clear standards for teacher evaluations and prioritized performance above tenure. These reforms represent unprecedented statewide agreement on issues that continue to be unresolved across the nation.

"The best economic tool a state can have is a world-class education system, and that's why we have been fighting to get this done since day one," ISBE Chairman Gery Chico said. "Schools across Illinois are already putting in place many elements of our plan for student success and this approval will allow us to fully implement our comprehensive plan to make Illinois' education system the best in the nation."

The approved waiver also calls for a new state and district accountability system. Illinois will implement a multiple measure system that look at an entire school and district, not simply a test score. In addition, the Illinois accountability system calls for a renewed focus on closing achievement gaps, turning around the lowest-performing schools, building capacity for school improvement and enhanced transparency.

"We still believe that a top priority must be for Congress to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, but short of that, a waiver does allow us to move forward and work with local districts to do what's best for students," State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch said. "Despite the delay in our waiver approval, Illinois educators have moved forward with elements of our plan and the commitment to college and career preparedness for all students, including the implementation of new, internationally benchmarked learning standards and 21st century assessments of student learning."

The federal education law has been due for Congressional reauthorization since 2007. In the absence of reauthorization, President Obama announced in September 2011 that the administration would grant waivers from NCLB to qualified states.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Quad City Arts Arts Dollar$ program, Rivermont Collegiate is able to waive tuition for Summer at Rivermont art courses for low income students.

Summer at Rivermont offers a variety of summer enrichment courses for preschool through 8th grade, which are open to the entire Quad City community and held on the Rivermont Collegiate campus in Bettendorf. Please note there is a limited amount of grant money and courses will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Those interested in these scholarships are strongly encouraged to enroll early. Though Summer at Rivermont offers courses in a wide variety of subjects, these scholarships are only applicable to art courses.

Art courses offered include Digital Photo Phrenzy (4th-8th grade, June 30-July 3), Mythical Clay Creatures (1st-3rd grade, July 7-18), Amazing Architecture in Clay (4th-6th grade, July 7-18), Screen Printing Extravaganza (3rd-8th grade, July 21-25), and Mural Masters (5th-8th grade, July 28-August 1).

For complete details on courses and scholarship eligibility and to enroll, visit www.RivermontCollegiate.org or pick up an application at Rivermont Collegiate - 1821 Sunset Drive, Bettendorf, IA 52722.

Arts Dollar$ grants help fund art projects and programs that emphasize community involvement. Funding for Arts Dollar$ is provided by The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Deere & Company, and Doris and Victor Day Foundation. Quad City Arts recognizes The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation for their contribution, which supports dramatic expansion of the Arts Dollar$ program in 2014.

Begin Reading Here - With My First Library Card!

Rock Island, IL: Great beginnings start with reading, and to help children build the habit, the Rock Island Public Library has rolled out a brand-new library card just for children under age 6.

My First Library Card acts like a library training card, introducing children ages birth to six to the wide variety of library materials that help develop their reading skills. Research shows that reading to children actively builds brain cells, strengthening existing connections, and adding new ones.

"We know that reading, and being read to, builds brain development, especially in the first five years," says Susan Foster, Rock Island Library Children's Services director. "Getting books into the hands of children is critical to their healthy development, and to their later capacity for reading and learning."

The card features the image and shape of Rock Island Library mascot Max Reader Mouse, and includes built in limits to help parents control use and teach good library habits. Children can use the card to check up out up to 10 children's items at Rock Island Library locations, with no overdue fines. "The limit helps parents keep track of what their children have checked out, and to help teach children how to take care of library items. Having your own library card is a simple way to build both responsibility and the love of reading at a young age," adds Foster.

The card is available to children ages birth to six living in the Rock Island Library service area, which includes residents of Rock Island, and of the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District. To apply, a parent or guardian must sign for the child and present a photo ID and proof of residency. Lost or damaged items will be billed to the parent or guardian.

Due to the fine forgiveness feature, My First Library Card may be used by the child only at Rock Island Main, 30/31 or Southwest Branches, for Rock Island items. The card automatically expires on the child's sixth birthday, at which time the child will be invited to apply for a "big kid" library card.

Before the introduction of My First Library card, cards were only available for ages six and older.

For more information about Rock Island Library services and programs for children, teens and adults, visit the library's online branch at www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-READ (7323) or follow the library on Facebook or Twitter.

Founded in 1872, the Rock Island Public Library serves the area through three locations, which include the Main, 30/31 and Southwest Branches, community outreach efforts, and online opportunities that provide resources to enhance personal achievement and stimulate the imagination.

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ROMEOVILLE, IL (04/16/2014)(readMedia)-- Nearly 300 Lewis University undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty showcased their scholarly and artistic work April 10 during the 3rd Annual Celebration of Scholarship.

Celebration of Scholarship entries that were accepted were selected from submitted abstracts through a blind-review process. Expert and lay judges evaluated the poster presentations that reflected the best of undergraduate and graduate scholarship for 2013-2014.

Jake Dopler of Moline presented "Weather Derivatives: Risk Management, Value to Economy, and Valuation."

Several awards were given to poster presentations. Dr. Jason Keleher, assistant professor and chair of chemistry at Lewis University, mentored all the undergraduate poster winners. First place honors went to the poster "Probing Surface Interactions of Copper Substrates with Respect to Activation Energy and Electrochemistry Properties" by Meghan Nichol. "The Effectiveness of the Luminol Presumptive Test for Blood Under Arson-Like Conditions," by Samantha Brain, Nathan Hoffman and Caitlin Higgins earned second place. Third place honors were bestowed upon "Photocatalytic Nanocomposites for Alternative Clean Fuel Production" by Danielle Volk, Andrea Portillo and Kevin Kuchler.

Graduate posters earning honors included first place "Protecting the Company's Data in this BYOD Era" by Magnolia McShane. She was mentored Joseph Tomsic, instructor of management information systems. "Differences in Deaf Education" by Brian Dunne earned second place honors. Dunne was mentored by Richard Clish, assistant professor of secondary education. Third place honors were earned by the team of Christopher Hueg, Saule Grybauskas and Caitlin Slattery. Dr. Christopher Palmi, assistant professor of secondary education, mentored them in creating the poster "Inclusive Literature and Reading Interest in a Diverse Classroom."

Dr. Arnulfo Azcarraga, internationally recognized scholar and professor of Computer Science at De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines, offered the keynote address "Lasallians Connecting Seas: Scholarship, Ethics, and Collaboration."

Lewis University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,600 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.