Literacy

Student Ebook Usage Breaks Records

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Mysteries, Teacher-librarian, Annual report, Union Free School District, Growth, Adventure, Digital, Diary, School, Digital art, Literacy, Overdrive, Nature, Student, Recreation, Young adult, Book, Sport, IOS, Android

CLEVELAND, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sora released its first annual reading report of worldwide student digital reading data for the 2022-2023 school year. "The State of K-12 Digital Reading" is based on the Sora student reading platform, used in 62,000 public and private schools in 50 U.S. states, 13 Canadian provinces and 75 countries around the world. The report reveals compelling regional differences, double digit growth in Comics and Graphic Novels and a surprising insight on which months tracked the most time spent reading.

Key Points: 
  • Comics and Graphic Novels usage grew across all age groups, especially among high school students (+56 percent in the '22-'23 school year).
  • Comics and Humor dominate ebook fiction lists for several age categories, while Mysteries, Biography/Autobiography and Digital Arts top ebook nonfiction lists.
  • The ebook format accounted for 84 percent of titles opened during the '22-'23 school year, while audiobooks remain popular with 14 percent.
  • Comics and graphic novels have contributed to the strong ebook usage, more than quadrupling in checkouts and jumping from 31 to 42% of total ebook checkouts since 2019.

Virginia's Fairfax County Public School District Adopts Benchmark Advance for its Updated Curriculum

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024
ELA, Partnership, Research, Literacy, Science, Motion, Student, Assistant superintendent, Curriculum, Language, FCPS, Fairfax County Public Schools, Tech, Management

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading educational publisher Benchmark Education Company (BEC) is pleased to announce that its core English Language Arts program, Benchmark Advance, has been adopted by Virginia's Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the 11th largest school district in the U.S. After a thorough review of the program and its chief competitors, Benchmark Advance was chosen by the FCPS school board in a unanimous vote on March 7, 2024. It will be implemented for Grades K-6 in the next school year, kicking off a seven-year partnership with BEC and marking the district's first adoption of a core ELA program in more than 20 years.

Key Points: 
  • NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading educational publisher Benchmark Education Company (BEC) is pleased to announce that its core English Language Arts program, Benchmark Advance , has been adopted by Virginia's Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the 11th largest school district in the U.S. After a thorough review of the program and its chief competitors, Benchmark Advance was chosen by the FCPS school board in a unanimous vote on March 7, 2024.
  • The program has been validated by research and independent reviewers and has received an "all-green" rating from EdReports for Grades K-5.
  • This program focuses on the critical language newcomers need to be successful in school and in the core curriculum.
  • FCPS School Board Vice Chair Melanie Meren expressed her enthusiasm and support for Benchmark Advance shortly before the adoption vote.

McDonald's All American Games Selects Joyce Edwards and Dylan Harper as the 2024 Morgan Wootten National Players of the Year

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024
Gashapon, Montverde Academy, ESPN, McDonald House, Character, McDonald's, History, Camden High School, Boy, Literacy, News, University, ESPN2, Student, Rutgers University, Morgan Wootten, McEachern High School, Selection Committee, Toyota Center, RMHC, University of South Carolina, Fast food

CHICAGO, April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The McDonald's All American Games Selection Committee is proud to announce that high school all-stars, Joyce Edwards of Camden High School in South Carolina and Dylan Harper of Don Bosco Prep High School in New Jersey, have been named as the recipients of the 2024 Morgan Wootten National Players of the Year Award. Edwards and Harper were honored with the award earlier today in Houston. Both players will take the court tomorrow night, Tuesday, April 2 for the 47th annual McDonald's All American Games.

Key Points: 
  • Both players will take the court tomorrow night, Tuesday, April 2 for the 47th annual McDonald's All American Games.
  • Since 1997, the Morgan Wootten National Players of the Year are selected annually in honor of Morgan Wootten, the late chairman of the Games' Selection Committee and Basketball Hall of Fame Coach.
  • The following McDonald's All Americans were selected as finalists for the Morgan Wootten National Players of Year Award:
    For the boys' team: Ace Bailey (McEachern High School – GA), V.J.
  • The 2024 McDonald's All American Games will start with the Girls Game on Tuesday, April 2 at 6:30 p.m.

IXL Learning Acquires Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 1, 2024
Dictionary.com, Health, American English, Learning, Beauty, SAN, Reference.com, Rosetta Stone, News, Literacy, Acquisition, Dictionary, AI, Student, Language, Collection, Synonym, Vocabulary, Tourism

SAN MATEO, Calif. and OAKLAND, Calif., April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by millions of people globally, is excited to announce the acquisition of Dictionary.com, the premier online English-language dictionary, as well as Thesaurus.com, home to the world's largest collection of synonyms and antonyms. From mastering vocabulary to unraveling the origins of words, more than 40 million people rely on Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com each month to hone their literacy skills. The platforms process more than 1.8 billion word searches annually, making them go-to destinations for reliable word learning resources.

Key Points: 
  • The platforms process more than 1.8 billion word searches annually, making them go-to destinations for reliable word learning resources.
  • The acquisitions strengthen IXL Learning's portfolio of renowned language and literacy products, which includes Rosetta Stone , IXL English Language Arts , Vocabulary.com , SpanishDictionary.com , and ingles.com .
  • "In a world brimming with countless words, Dictionary.com is a trusted guide that helps people navigate the English language and express themselves," said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning.
  • Additionally, Dictionary.com features a diverse collection of interactive educational games, including crossword puzzles and word searches, that make learning effective and enjoyable.

World Class Dyslexia, Literacy, and Neuroscience Experts Gather with Educators for Two-Day Professional Learning Event

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 29, 2024
Brain, Editor-in-chief, Administrator, ALTA, CE, Science, Professor, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, School, La Trobe University, Research, Policy, Literacy, Blog, Neuroscience, Role, Student, Continuing education, Learning Ally, Stanford University, WPD, Parent, Tutoring

PRINCETON, N.J., March 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Learning Ally, a national nonprofit working with U.S. K12 schools to strengthen reading outcomes, has announced the dates of its ninth Spotlight on Dyslexia virtual conference as June 5th and 6th, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Spotlight on Dyslexia has become one of the most significant professional learning events in the field of education.
  • "By the fourth grade, an estimated 65% of children read below proficiency, and one in five faces a learning difference like dyslexia," said Dr. Terrie Noland, Learning Ally's VP of Educator Initiatives.
  • "Administrators and educators who participate in this conference and engage in ongoing professional learning programs will acquire the essential knowledge they need to become literacy leaders.
  • Networking opportunities with fellow educators in an innovative virtual environment where we celebrate schools and districts making strides in literacy instruction.

NASA Awards Promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Nationwide

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Discovery, NASA Headquarters, TEAM, Organization, Natural history, Learning, Caregiver, Museum, Education, Spaced Out, City, Next Generation, News, Food security, NASA, STEM, Future, Multimedia, Literacy, Engineering, Food

"We're excited to grow the community of informal education organizations through these awards," said Torry Johnson, deputy associate administrator of STEM Engagement Programs at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Key Points: 
  • "We're excited to grow the community of informal education organizations through these awards," said Torry Johnson, deputy associate administrator of STEM Engagement Programs at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
  • These awards are a real catalyst for partnerships that connect STEM education and NASA's missions to communities across the nation."
  • Projects were selected for NASA's Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions ( TEAM II ) program and TEAM II Community Anchor Awards.
  • For the latest NASA STEM events, activities, and news, visit:
    View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-awards-promote-science-tec...

PRIVATE SCHOOL VILLAGE (PSV) AWARDS INAUGURAL ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Racism, Education, Research, Literacy, Hope, PSV, DEI

"The Village Scholarship is a lifeline focused on something that is widely known as problematic -- there is never enough financial aid," said Founder and Executive Director Lisa Johnson. "In a world where the public discourse around race is polarizing and bans on DEI efforts are increasing, our Black and brown children are navigating adolescence against a backdrop of inconsistent systemic support, unapologetic gaslighting, covert and overt bias, and racism. The Village Scholarship is a beacon of hope, a tangible way we can support our children and ensure they receive the education they deserve."

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Private School Village (PSV), a first-of-its-kind community-based nonprofit organization that supports Black and brown students through the K-12 private school experience, is excited to announce the first recipients of The Village Scholarship.
  • Six families from five local private schools will receive partial scholarships totaling over $220,000 for the duration of the elementary school experience pending yearly renewals.
  • The Village Scholarship is a highly selective, annual private school scholarship for exceptional Black and brown elementary school students from low-income households in Greater Los Angeles.
  • PSV is unique in its mission to support families throughout their private school journey once enrolled.

Tom Stritikus Named 17th President of Occidental College

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Culture, School of education, Bill, Environment, Beauty, Trustee, Policy, Literacy, University, Faculty, Student, Biology, News, City, Doctor of Philosophy, Creativity, Language, Fort Lewis College, Fortification, Parent, American Council, Teaching, Occidental College, Management

LOS ANGELES, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Occidental College Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Tom Stritikus as the College's 17th president.

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Occidental College Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Tom Stritikus as the College's 17th president.
  • Stritikus comes to Occidental from his position as president of Fort Lewis College, a public liberal arts college located in Durango, Colorado.
  • As president, Stritikus will lead Occidental in bringing to fruition the Occidental Promise , the College's integrated strategic plan.
  • "Dr. Stritikus' vision for the college offers a bridge between the beauty of what Occidental is and the creativity to explore what Occidental could be," she said.

DRC and MetaMetrics Announce Collaboration to Advance Support for Biliteracy at National Association of Bilingual Educators 2024 Conference

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Online, Research, DRC, Conference, Literacy, Partnership, Lexile, Student, National Conference, Tutoring

NEW ORLEANS, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today at the National Conference of Bilingual Educators, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), a leading provider of PreK-adult assessments, and MetaMetrics®, creator of the widely adopted Lexile® Framework for Reading, announced a strategic partnership to bolster support for biliteracy. Biliteracy is the ability to read and write proficiently in two languages.

Key Points: 
  • NEW ORLEANS, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today at the National Conference of Bilingual Educators, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) , a leading provider of PreK-adult assessments, and MetaMetrics® , creator of the widely adopted Lexile® Framework for Reading, announced a strategic partnership to bolster support for biliteracy.
  • "Our expanded partnership with MetaMetrics underscores our shared commitment to providing educators and learners with tools to facilitate language proficiency and foster a love for reading across multiple languages."
  • "Through our new collaboration with DRC, we will help ensure that those students build proficiency in Spanish and English, becoming biliterate."
  • Building on its support for Spanish language learning, MetaMetrics is developing additional non-English reading frameworks to support language learning around the world, such as the Arabic Framework for Reading.

Families Forward Learning Center Receives $200,000 Gift from The Panda Charitable Family Foundation

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Depression, Mental, Education, Knowledge, Mental health, Literacy, Social isolation, Anxiety, Families Forward, Hope, Giant panda, Parent, Panda Restaurant Group

PASADENA, Calif., March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Families Forward Learning Center, a pioneer in Two-Generation Early Childhood Education, today announced a $200,000 gift from the Panda Charitable Family Foundation (PCFF), the philanthropic organization of the founders of Panda Restaurant Group, in support of general operations and mental health programming.

Key Points: 
  • PASADENA, Calif., March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Families Forward Learning Center, a pioneer in Two-Generation Early Childhood Education, today announced a $200,000 gift from the Panda Charitable Family Foundation (PCFF), the philanthropic organization of the founders of Panda Restaurant Group, in support of general operations and mental health programming.
  • "The Panda Charitable Family Foundation is one of our largest and most generous donors, and we are so grateful for their ongoing support and devotion to help us fulfill our mission to create hope and improve outcomes for low-income families with children from birth to five years old," said Families Forward executive director, Elva Sandoval.
  • "We are honored to support Families Forward Learning Center in their efforts to educate children and support families in high-need communities," said Michelle Cherng Lee, Family Advisor at PCFF.
  • "The Cherng family values align closely with this program, as we have launched similar initiatives focused on removing the barriers to education.