The following are categories we identified:

Resources

“Support and materials that are relevant to at-risk students” are cited by a professor in British Columbia, Canada.

An elementary school reading specialist in North Dakota stresses “The greatest challenge that I currently have in helping at-risk students is not having the resources available to differentiate my instruction to meet the individual needs of each student.”

Support

A teacher at an international school in Rome, Italy, mentions “Meeting their learning needs and helping them feel successful at the same time.”

A teacher at the Department of Education, Puerto Rico, cites the importance of “Helping students lose the fear of participating in class.”

An administrator in New South Wales, Australia, stresses the importance of “Improved recognition and support at school of at-risk students.”

Issues Outside of School

A lead teacher in Texas cites the challenge of creating and sustaining “Parent involvement.”

An Indiana teacher cites “Lack of family support and poor background knowledge.”

A Mississippi director mentions “Attendance and challenges at home.”

Assessment

An educator in Western Australia stresses the importance of “Assessing their needs correctly and using appropriate strategies to help them.”

Communication and teaching methodology

An exceptional needs teacher in North Carolina mentions “Making it interesting and relevant to their world.”

A Wisconsin educator cites the importance of “Establishing mutual trust.”

A special education teacher in Indiana stresses “Keeping them focused and excited about learning.”

A technology contact in West Virginia presents the challenge of  “Differentiating the instruction to allow them to express themselves on a level that is appropriate to the grade level while utilizing their unique skills.”

A classroom teacher in Florida cites the challenge of “Presenting the material in such a way that they can grasp and retain it.”

What do you think of these comments?  And, what ideas of your own would you like to share?  Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Unlike the previously announced Race to the Top funds which were only for public schools, i3 funds will also be available to non-profits, charter schools, colleges, and private companies.

i3 will look to fund programs that advance key education reforms, four of which include: building college and career-ready standards, providing data systems to support improved instruction, strengthening teacher and principal quality, and helping to turn around failing schools.

Later this fall the U.S. federal register will publish procedures for applying for the i3 fund. There will be a comment period, followed by an application, and then awards will be made in early 2010.  

“We’re looking for ways to boost student achievement, matriculation, and graduation rates– and we expect successful applicants will be able to demonstrate some success in closing achievement gaps, moving students toward proficiency, increasing graduation rates, and retaining high-quality teachers and principals,” said Secretary Duncan.

Areas of concern specifically mentioned in the speech were:

• supporting promising interventions for at-risk students;
• accelerating adolescents who are years behind;
• helping ELL students learn the language and the content;
• developing online content; and
• assisting students with disabilities to complete college-ready work.

Merit Software products have a strong track record of helping educational organizations provide innovative school reform efforts.

The full text version of Secretary Duncan’s speech is available at http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/2009/08/08202009.html

For more information about Merit Software’s full product line go to http://meritsoftware.com/

U.S. educators who have questions about how to access stimulus funds can click here to contact a Merit representative.