This and That

Great story from NPR -
A High School's Lesson For Helping English Language Learners Get To College

In the U.S., roughly one in 10 students is an English language learner.
Many schools struggle to help them feel comfortable with their new language. Helping them get ahead and to college is another challenge entirely.

But East Allen University, Laing's high school in Fort Wayne, Ind., has developed a unique program to do just that: English language learners there can graduate with a diploma and an associate's degree. It's a public high school — anyone can enroll — but the focus is on college prep and college credit.

I haven't read the entire thing yet but Senator Patty Murray wrote a 20-page memo to her colleagues:
"Real Choice vs. False Choice: The Repercussions of Privatization Programs for Students, Parents, and Public Schools." 
From NPR:

Murray writes that school choice too often ignores students in rural areas where options are limited and fails to protect the interests of students with disabilities or who face discrimination.

Warning of lax standards for private schools in some states, Murray tells the story of one Florida student who used a voucher to attend a private school only to realize, when he later tried to transfer to a public school, that his voucher school had not been accredited. Another concern: private schools failing to provide services to students with disabilities or using selective admissions policies to turn them away.

Instead of private school choice, Murray argues, "every child in this country deserves a choice to attend an excellent public school."

 From KQED, a story from Great Britain on the importance of being able to speak clearly and with conviction:
Why The Art of Speaking Should Be Taught Alongside Math and Literacy

From the earliest grades on up teachers support students to find their voice, express differing opinions politely, and challenge one another’s thinking. These are skills called for in the Common Core, but can be hard to find in many classrooms because students haven’t been taught how to make “turn and talks” truly effective.

From Here and Now, a story about using social media to get into college:
Does Social Media Help Students Stand Out To Schools?

We've spoken to a number of colleges and college admissions officers who are saying, 'We're looking at social media to learn more about the candidate.' So, we have to teach students that they need to take the spin to a productive use of social media."

"You can expand the reach of your application by including links to social media profiles. So if you are a photographer, an artist, you can create a portfolio on Instagram and put that link on your application.