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Our last Trend of the Month began an examination of trends in higher education that could be harbingers of change in K–12's own future with a focus on the development and rise of online learning opportunities in higher education. This month's Trend of the Month explores the changing role of community colleges in the preparation of students for post-secondary life.

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U.S. students showed significant gains on the international TIMMS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) test, placing in the top 12 countries in mathematics. However, other countries have also showed significant gains. U.S. science scores have remained relatively stagnant over the past 12 years.

A new report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education suggests that the spiraling cost of college tuition is preventing most Americans from pursuing higher education. The report found that college tuition increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007 while median family income rose 147 percent.

New research from the University of California-Santa Barbara finds that in certain situations learning more difficult concepts first can increase student learning. Students who learned the easiest concepts first found it more difficult to expand the concepts to apply to more difficult tasks.

New research from the University of Chicago shows that people can "relearn" complex tasks they have forgotten simply by getting a good night's sleep. Within a few hours after learning a complex new task, subjects had "forgotten" half of what they learned. But after sleeping through the night, they were able to recall most of what they had learned.

A new report from the MacArthur Foundation finds that the time teenagers spend online actually helps them build valuable technological, literacy, and social skills they need to compete in the modern world.

A new report from the National Survey of Student Engagement finds that students who are provided with many challenging writing activities are more engaged, more analytical, and better able to synthesize and integrate ideas—the types of learning that are currently in the greatest demand by colleges and employers.

New research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee shows that parents and teachers play a significant role in encouraging girls to pursue a career in mathematics or science. Although the girls' initial interest level is important, it is their confidence level, which is heavily influenced by parents and teachers, that determines whether they will pursue these fields.

New data from an ongoing study of Louisiana’s teacher education programs indicate that teachers trained by The New Teacher Project (TNTP) outperform both beginning and experienced teachers in the core content areas of math, reading, and language arts.

A recent study of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2005 database found that the amount of professional development mathematics teachers received is correlated to student achievement. Surprisingly, however, the correlation is negative. Students of teachers who received a small amount of professional development outperformed students of teachers who received a moderate or large amount of professional development.

This report summarizes seven studies of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) that measure the impact of KIPP on student achievement. The report finds that student achievement is higher in KIPP schools than in traditional public schools. There is no clear evidence that this increased student achievement is solely due to attrition of low-performing students. Further research is needed to determine whether the KIPP model can be expanded and sustained.

To be successful, college students, workers, and citizens in today's world need to be proficient in 21st century skills—the ability to use knowledge, rather than simply acquiring it. Yet quantifying this ability is difficult and time-consuming. As a result, most students are evaluated on their ability to read, write, solve mathematics equations, and recall information from memory. This report examines the differences between traditional skills and 21st century skills and outlines some ways 21st century skills can be measured.

In one of the largest and most rigorous studies undertaken by the U.S. Department of Education, researchers studied the impact of the Reading First program on reading comprehension. The study found that the amount of instructional time spent on reading instruction and professional development in reading instruction yielded positive results. In addition, 1st-grade students in the program were better at decoding words than their peers. However, the students in the program showed no significant gains in reading comprehension, based on test scores.

Join scientists and engineers from NASA's Dawn mission along with educators from around the country in a set of unique, convergent workshops in California, Colorado, Oregon, and West Virginia, on March 7, 2009.

The Dawn spacecraft flies by Mars in February, 2009. As it executes special maneuvers to shift its direction into the correct orbital plane for encountering the asteroid Vesta, science and engineering teams will be sharing key updates and information with conference participants. Become part of this unique opportunity and you'll also receive terrific curricular materials.

Every year, Intel honors U.S. schools that have demonstrated excellence in math and science education as Intel Schools of Distinction.

In order to be considered as an Intel School of Distinction, schools must develop an environment and curricula that meet or exceed benchmarks, including national mathematics and science content standards.

Deadline: February 17, 2009

The Kids’ Science Challenge is a nationwide competition for 3rd- through 6th-grade students, funded by the National Science Foundation. Kids learn about four fun scientific fields and then submit a question, problem, or experiment to be solved.

The Kids' Science Challenge is currently looking for mentors to help teams come up with entries for the competition. The Web site has online activities for kids and their leaders to explore, and curricula that teachers can use which relate the project to classroom science standards. The first 1,000 Kids' Science Challenge entrants receive hands-on kits—something else to do in an extra-curricular setting with their mentor, which could extend activities beyond the January 31st contest deadline.

Michael Ceballos, Qwest state president in Wyoming, has joined the Board of Directors of McREL.

Dr. Jeffrey R. Williams, director of access and urban outreach in the Office of Enrollment Management at the University of Missouri-Columbia, has joined the Board of Directors of McREL.

Deborah L. Backus, chief academic officer for Jefferson County Public Schools in Golden, Colo., has joined the Board of Directors of McREL.

McREL announces the addition of Ted J. Adams, superintendent of Laramie County School District 1 in Laramie, Wyo., to its Board of Directors.

San Diego Unified School District has contracted McREL to help establish a new method of evaluating principals and other administrators. Many of the administrators are not regularly reviewed, making it difficult for the district to identify and capitalize on successful leadership, or identify opportunities for improvement. The new system will be based, in part, on McREL's Balanced Leadership Profile.

After attending McREL's Rural Principal Forum, Deputy Superintendent and High School Principal Nicholas Schafer will be bringing new information and ideas back to his district to help design the curriculum and develop a strategic plan for his district.

The Dearborn Public School District (DPS) Board of Education is following McREL's recommendation to ask for stakeholders such as teachers, central office staff, principals, parents, and union members to assist the Board in setting goals for the next five years.

McREL and the Gesell Institute for Human Development have begun a year-long effort to update the widely used Gesell Developmental Observation (GDO), a tool used by schools to assess the development of children entering kindergarten or preschool.

McDonald's Restaurants recently hosted a Passport to Play Day at Silverlake Elementary School in Middletown, Del. Passport to Play is designed to teach children mental and physical health following the criteria outlined in the National Association for Sport and Physical Education's National Standards for Physical Education. The health, physical education, life skills, art, geography, and language arts curricula included in Passport to Play have been aligned with the McREL Compendium of Education Standards.