Known as the “Future Sun Devil Families” (FSDF) program, participating students and families attend seven workshops throughout the academic year at their own high school or a nearby partnering high school; each workshop is designed to guide students and parents through the college application process in an interactive co-learning environment, and is led by an ASU facilitator trained on workshop content. 

FSDF is available for grade levels 9-12 and there is no cost to participate. 

“‘Future Sun Devil Families’ in partnership with our high school colleagues creates a pathway to access the university early and often, ensuring that students are university eligible and that families have the tools and resources to support them in that endeavor,” says Beatriz Rendon, ASU’s Associate Vice President of Educational Outreach and Student Services. 

Eligibility requirements include student enrollment in one of the following school districts:  Phoenix High School, Mesa Public Schools, Glendale Union High School, Tempe Union High School, Tolleson Union High School or ASU Preparatory Academies. 

Additionally, students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA in core classes (English, math, science, and social studies), and participating students and at least one parent are expected to attend the monthly college prep workshops at a local high school. Students entering ninth grade may apply for the following academic year and all “Hispanic Mother Daughter” participants will be automatically enrolled in the program. 

A sample of FSDF workshop objectives by grade level are as follows:

9th Grade

Session 1             Gaining support and understanding

Session 2             Re-affirming self-advocacy and independence

Session 3             Understanding admissions and eligibility 

Session 4             Making a college choice

Session 5             Diving into financial literacy 

Session 6             Creating a financial plan

Session 7             Becoming well-rounded

10^th Grade

Session 1             Introduction 

Session 2             Exploring degree programs and career paths

Session 3             Investigating financial aid resources

Session 4             Refining financial plan and timeline

Session 5             Re-affirming family support

Session 6             Examining course mastery and remediation

Session 7             Evaluating extracurricular activities and leadership

11th Grade

Session 1             Introduction 

Session 2             Comparing colleges and programs of study

Session 3             Exploring a major map

Session 4             Understanding the financial aid and scholarship process

Session 5             Establishing communication with universities

Session 6             Developing leadership skills

Session 7             Investigating college support resources

12^th Grade

Session 1             Finalizing admissions application

Session 2             Exploring university learning opportunities

Session 3             Completing scholarship applications

Session 4             Completing FAFSA application

Session 5             Committing to an academic program of study

Session 6             Experiencing college campus life

Session 7             Demonstrating independence

Students may apply on-line and must also submit transcripts and two short essays to be considered for FSDF.

“‘Future Sun Devils Families’ illustrates ASU’s and President Crow’s vision to measure the success of our university, not by whom we exclude, but by whom we include and how they succeed,” adds Rendon. “This program is a concrete example of how we fulfill the commitment to working in the community as partners in preparing more Arizona youth for the university.”

Visit eoss.asu.edu/fsdf for additional program and application details. E-mail AccessASU@asu.edu or call 480-965-6060 with questions about “Future Sun Devils Families.” 

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• Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress
• 75 to 90 percent of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace; stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually
• The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50 percent, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions

April has been designated National Stress Awareness Month. This month, health care professionals and health promotion experts across the country will join forces to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for the modern stress epidemic.

Sponsored by the Health Resource Network (HRN), a non-profit health education organization, Stress Awareness Month is a cooperative effort to inform people about the many dangers of stress, successful coping strategies and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society. 

So, where might one find a convenient daily dose of stress relief? Look no further than your smartphone. Take a look at some of the top-rated apps that might just reap big benefits. 

Stress Tracker – a free app compatible with the iPhone, created by a team of leading clinical psychologists and researchers using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness principles. Among other features, the Stress Tracker tracks your individual stress levels, moods, sources of stress, symptoms and lifestyle/behaviors in real-time. 

Relax: Stress and Anxiety Relief – an app compatible with Android; $3.50 to purchase. The app’s guided breathing exercises use calming music to help you relieve tension or combat insomnia. Use the quick start feature at the first sign of a panic attack or use the skills you’ve learned in the app’s yoga practice.

Stress Check by Azumio – a free app for Android users that measures heart rate variability (HRV) and doesn’t require any additional hardware. Instead, it uses the camera to measure your stress level and gives you a score from 1 to 100, so you can gauge how stressed you are from anywhere. 

Total Relaxation – for Blackberry users, this app is a powerful hypnosis session for deep relaxation by Darren Marks, a hypnotherapist with an international reputation. This app costs $2.99 and includes video interviews and relaxation tips. 

iShatter Stress Relief – available for 99 cents, this iPhone app invites you to take out your aggression after a long day by virtually busting up mirrors, wine glasses, light bulbs, vases and more. Users can vent by tapping the screen to hear the sounds of breaking glass while watching the objects on their screen shatter to pieces. 

Workout Trainer – one of the best stress relievers is exercise. Take your workout digital with this free app for Droid users that offers thousands of workouts with no equipment needed, including Crossfit, Tabata, and high-intensity interval training.

Whichever apps you use, be sure to put your phone in airplane mode or “do not disturb,” if possible, to avoid distractions and losing your concentration.

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Seventy percent of parents teach their teens how to do the laundry. Only 29 percent talk to them about credit card fees and how interest works. When asked, students say they want to learn about personal finances. They want to know how to balance a checkbook, create a budget and avoid debt. Why, as a culture, don’t we get that teaching the basics of responsible money management is just one of the many ways we’re helping young women and men grow up to become responsible adults?

The single most important factor for women, in contributing to a stable existence, is to be financially secure. “It is equally important to a young woman as it is to a young man,” said Marsha Firestone, Ph.D. “An understanding of money and finance empowers women in all aspects of life. Too many of our girls grow up without knowledge in this area.” Perhaps this is why young women tend to feel less confident than young men about managing their money. Regardless of the career paths young girls may choose, we need to ensure that all of our daughters are prepared to achieve their dreams.

The ability to use basic math and financial concepts to make decisions about earning, saving, spending and sharing money is a learned skill set. As with reading and writing, an understanding of basic financial literacy is critical for future success. Whether a girl or boy is from a low-income or wealthy home, or whether they live in a rural or a suburban community, they are likely to work for pay for much of their adult lives, and will be responsible for their own financial well-being in addition to the well-being of their families.

The longstanding gender disparity in pay and income still exists today. Women still earn about 77 cents to every dollar a man earns. It is critical that young women have the support and skills necessary to gain a sense of economic justice, so they can assert rights for their own economic well-being, as well as the economic well-being of their families and their communities. The pay disparity also adds up over time, often resulting in smaller social security payments decades later, and less money to build retirement savings. There is also the “mother penalty” – over the first five years of her child’s life, a mother loses an estimated $5,000 in pay, which is reflected in retirement benefits.

President Obama believes that, for America’s women, economic security is a key component in our quality of life. In his inaugural address he stated, “It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began, for our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, our daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts.”

Activist Gloria Steinem, who recently visited Phoenix to speak at a YW event, says, “If we just had equal pay in this country, we would have the single most important economic stimulus this country could possibly, possibly ever have.”

Fortunately, in our community, financial education programs are being offered to educate and empower our girls and women. The YWCA “Own It” Financial Education Program offers a free, comprehensive curriculum that teaches students essential skills like how to save money, balance a checkbook, understand credit, budget, set financial goals, open a checking account, reduce debt, etc. “Own It” classes are offered in both English and Spanish, and are also offered to teens. Classes are taught by YW volunteers, all of whom are financial professionals. Students can register online at ywcaaz.org and select a class from one of our various locations. When an “Own It” student graduates, he or she will have developed an understanding of economic concepts at the individual and family level, and will be on his or her way to becoming an economically independent community member. 

“Own It” Financial Education Class schedule

March

Tuesdays: March 5, 12, 19, 26

Location: Care1st Avondale Resource and Housing Center

Wednesdays: March 13, 27 

Location: HOPE VI Emmett McLoughlin Community Training and Education Center

Wednesdays: March 6, 13, 20, 27

Location: Salvation Army Kroc Center

Thursdays: March 7, 14, 21, 28

Location: Fresh Start Women’s Center

April

Wednesdays: April 3, 10, 17, 24

Location: Fresh Start Women’s Resource Center

Tuesdays: April 9, 16, 23, 30

Location: Salvation Army Kroc Center

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According to a recent report released by the U.S. Department of Education, students and their families are bearing a greater share of college costs than a generation ago. In fact, the report notes that, at public four-year colleges and universities, tuition and fees has doubled since 1987, while the proportion funded by state and local governments has fallen by about one-third. Meanwhile, in-state tuition at public four-year colleges and universities has grown by two-thirds since 2000, after adjusting for inflation.

In an effort to help offset these trends, several new policies have been implemented to provide relief for students and their families, including the introduction of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, keeping Stafford loan interest rates low, expanding “income-based repayment,” and increasing Pell grants.

Top reasons to complete the FAFSA

With more than $150 billion available in federal student aid, every college-bound student is absolutely encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Here are a few convincing reasons for students and parents alike to consider completing the FAFSA.

The FAFSA is free to complete, and there is help provided throughout the application process. The   application can be accessed on the official FAFSA website at fafsa.gov and should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. In fact, there have been various measures taken over the past few years to simplify the FAFSA application process, which includes the most recent enhancement set to launch this month – the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This tool allows students and parents to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete their application, and enables the transfer of data directly into their FAFSA from the IRS website. 

Many students are hesitant to complete the FAFSA because of misconceptions such as “parents making too much money” or “only students with good grades are awarded aid.” Reality check: eligibility is determined by a mathematical formula, not by parents’ income alone.

There is no income cut-off to qualify for federal student aid. Many factors besides income – from family size to the age of your older parent – are considered. In addition, when completing the FAFSA, the student is also automatically applying for funds from their state. While a high grade-point average may assist with academic scholarships, most of the federal student aid programs don’t take a student’s GPA into consideration. 

Federal student aid provides more than $150 billion in grants, loans and work-study funds each year. The Department of Education suggests that completing the FAFSA should be the first step toward getting federal aid for college, career school or graduate school. In fact, many states and colleges use a student’s FAFSA data to determine their eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use the FAFSA information to determine whether the student qualifies for their aid.

For information and tips on completing the FAFSA, visit: studentaid.gov/fafsa.

Pay As You Earn 

According to a report released by the Department of Education in 2011, the typical worker with a bachelor’s degree earned about $1,000 a week, roughly two-thirds more than those with only a high school diploma, while the unemployment rate for workers with a bachelor’s degree was 4.9 percent, about half the rate for people with only a high school diploma. 

Though facts and figures such as these confirm that there are monetary rewards for obtaining a college degree, for many recent college graduates, monthly student loan payments can be overwhelming. However, a new repayment plan now available to borrowers, known as the Pay As You Earn Plan, could reduce monthly payments for as many as 1.6 million Direct Loan borrowers. 

The Plan caps monthly payments at 10 percent of discretionary income for eligible borrowers and complements additional repayment plans offered to assist borrowers manage their debt. 

Those who are not eligible for the Pay As You Earn Plan may still qualify for the Income-Based Repayment Plan, which caps monthly loan payments at 15 percent of a borrower’s discretionary income. More than 1.3 million borrowers are already using the Income-Based Repayment Plan. 

For those who’ve already fallen behind on student loan payments, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) introduced an on-line tool this summer to help evaluate a borrower’s options. Known as the Student Loan Debt Collection Assistant, the on-line program asks a series of questions to help the user determine what steps to take if loan payments have been missed. For example, if the borrower has missed federal loan payments, the tool advises the user to ask their servicer about alternative payment arrangements, such as income-based repayment plans. 

The tool can be accessed via consumerfinance.gov/students/defaultoptions

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Reading aloud with our children used to be a favorite American pastime, as beloved as baseball and apple pie. What’s happened? Reading to young children is the single most important early experience for later success (in learning to read in school), yet only 43 percent of Arizona parents report reading every day to their children. Nationally, fewer than half of young children in the United States are read to daily. And we wonder why we have fallen to 14^th in reading in the World Education Ranking and our success is only rated “average” when accounting for our science ranking (17^th) and our math ranking (25^th). 

Literacy is a vital skill that forms the basis for academic success and upward mobility. In addition, low literacy and poor academic achievement have been correlated with poor health outcomes and numerous social and economic ills, such as teen pregnancy, increased rates of hospitalization, high school dropout, unemployment and crime. For parents and pediatricians alike, both dedicated to promoting the overall health and development of young children, this is cause for concern. 

Proficiency in reading by the end of third grade is a crucial marker in a child’s educational development. A stunning 68 percent of fourth-graders in public school were reading below proficient levels in 2011, according to a report of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Also, a well-documented achievement gap exists in literacy performance among different racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. Recent research suggests that the difference in literacy achievement between Latino children and non-Latino white children is even greater than that between black and white children, and that gap appears as early as four years of age. Latinos are the largest and youngest minority group in our nation, and the Latino population increased 43 percent between the 2000 and 2012 Census. In Arizona, Hispanics now make up 30 percent of the state’s residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

One in five schoolchildren is Latino and one in four newborns is Latino. Never before in U.S. history has a minority ethnic group made up such a large percentage of the youngest Americans. How well public school systems respond to the Latino population surge will determine America’s economic prosperity and ability to compete globally decades from now, stressed Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) at a recent education conference. The future of these young Latinos is our future.

What you may not know is that pediatricians across Arizona are playing a role in the literacy of our kids, and they’re doing so without a box to check for any reimbursement. For the 800-plus signed up as Reach Out and Read Arizona (RORAZ) providers, it’s about treating the whole child – from ear aches to excellence in the classroom.

The way this 14-times peer-reviewed program works is to have pediatricians talk with parents during all well-child visits about literacy and reading to their child every day to stimulate their learning abilities. The RORAZ program, serving children from 6 months through 5 years of age, is a low-cost intervention at $60 per child over the five years of support. At each well-child visit, pediatricians give a brand new, developmentally- and language-appropriate book to the child and advice to the parent about the importance of reading aloud every day to their child. For some families, it could be the only book they have in the house. For others, it’s an important and regular reminder about an ongoing, steady diet of pictures, spoken words and written words that end up developing critical parts of the young brain.

The role pediatricians play is critical to the success of the program because of the importance parents place on guidance from their child’s physician, as well as the regular contact between parents and pediatricians during the infant, toddler and pre-school years. Years of research have informed us that parents who participated in ROR were more likely to report reading as a favorite activity, to read aloud to their children, and to have richer home literacy environments than those not exposed to the program. Furthermore, children participating in ROR show higher receptive and expressive vocabulary scores than non-ROR children. 

The program also shows benefits for at-risk Latino children, including those whose parents do not speak English. Latino children living in poverty, from households where English is not the primary language and who participate in ROR beginning at 6 months of age, have average or above average literacy skills by the end of kindergarten and good home literacy environments. Of all children participating in early literacy programs, 76 percent of them could identify a favorite book by name, demonstrating print awareness, an important skill.

So many families struggle with balancing the busy demands of work, extracurricular activities, community activities and the draw of TV and other media. Pediatricians believe, however, that the best prescription for a well-developed brain, an inquisitive mind and a successful life includes carving out time to support your child’s development by establishing reading routines in your home. Remember the very important role you play, as a parent or grandparent, in getting your child ready to learn to read and succeed. That could mean simply saying the words for things you see around you – in your house or as you drive somewhere – and then being descriptive about it. “Look up at the sky.” “The sky is blue.” “Blue is a color like red and yellow.” Look at the fluffy white clouds.” You can even spell out any of these words. 

While not all pediatricians or health care providers are ROR providers, you can find out more about the program at roraz.org and let more people, including your pediatrician, know about it. There are also more tips on the site that will help you bring up your children ready to excel throughout life. RORAZ could also use your help to spread the proven, evidence-based program around the state.  

As our volunteer corps of pediatricians throughout Arizona continues to spread the “good word about reading,” we encourage all of you – parents, grandparents and community members – to play a role in infusing literacy early and often. We know it’s the best medicine for our future.

Dr. Yvonne Funcke, a Phoenix pediatrician with the Pediatrix group practice, attended medical school at Cornell Medical College and completed her residency at the University of California-San Diego. She has spent considerable time in her career working in community health centers taking care of the underserved. She is an active member with the Arizona Chapter of the Academy of Pediatrics where she serves as the Chair of the Reach Out and Read Arizona Advisory Committee and as the program’s Medical Director. Dr. Funcke was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in Baja California, Mexico. From her parent’s strong values and beliefs she learned to serve those in need and to encourage those around her to strive for the best. She is married to a pediatric cardiologist and they have two young children.

Which books to choose and what to do

6-12 months: Choose books with board pages, pictures and faces, bright colors, familiar objects, short in length with limited text. Hold your child comfortably with a face-to-face gaze. Follow your baby’s cues for “more” and “stop” and point and name pictures. 

12-24 months: Choose books with board pages, familiar objects, routines (nap time, bedtime), rhyming words and new concepts (zoo animals, shapes, colors). Respond to your child’s prompting to read and let your child control the book. Remember to be comfortable with your child’s short attention span, particularly around ages 12-18 months. Ask “where’s the … ?” and let your child point, or “what’s that?” and give your child time to answer.

24-36 months: Choose books with paper pages, rhyming words, humorous/silly books and more advanced themes (big/small, over/under). Use books according to a routine (e.g., read at bedtime) and be willing to read the same story over and over. Relate books to your child’s real-life experiences and on occasion provide crayons and paper.

36-60 months: Choose books with folk tales and legends, alphabet and counting books, and books and illustrations that exercise the child’s imagination. Ask your child “what’s happening?” and let your child tell the story. And remember to encourage writing and drawing at this age.

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So what can you do as a family to care for the environment, and what are some eco-friendly products your child can use both at home and in the classroom? 

Color yourself green: Most crayons are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource that takes years to biodegrade. Opt for soy-based crayons instead, such as the Prang brand. The nontoxic Prang Fun Pro soybean crayons are made from soybean oil and are $1.95 for sixteen; available at stubbypencilstudio.com. 

Other school supplies can be switched, too. Consider this: If your child’s school uses 20 cases of recycled instead of regular paper, it’ll save 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water. To help decrease water pollution specifically, choose chlorine-free recycled paper. 

And, while the good old number-two pencil isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, there are still plenty of eco-choices such as the Paper Mate^® EarthWrite™ pencils made from 100 percent recycled materials, down to the lead and eraser. There’s even a brand on the market called Smencils, made from recycled newspapers and infused with scents for scratch-n-sniff fun.

Art with a “green” touch: Kids are crafty by nature, so having a well-stocked array of art supplies on the home front will allow them to unleash their inner artists at whim. Some eco-friendly art supplies that can be used both at home and in the classroom include a green paste, known as “Eco-glue.” This handmade concoction is composed of rice flour, water, sugar, citric acid, corn starch, potassium sorbate and rosemary oil. It comes with its own small applicator brush and costs $6.99 at ecokidsusa.com. 

Also available at Eco-kids is their handmade finger paint made with organic fruit and vegetable extracts from beets, carrots, curcumin, annatto seed, purple sweet potato, red cabbage and spinach mixed in a base of flour, cornstarch, wheat paste and clay. This powder-based, all-natural finger paint set includes five 4-ounce containers for $23.99 and is also available in a gluten-free variety for $30/set.

In addition to opting for some of these eco-friendly products, getting involved with local organizations, such as the Valley Permaculture Alliance, can inspire you and your family to create a more sustainable community. From tours of local sustainable homes to hands-on training and demonstrations, the organization also works closely with St. Luke’s Health Initiatives in supporting school and community garden start-ups by organizing classes and providing technical assistance to garden groups across the Valley, among other activities.

The term “permaculture” is a combination of “permanent” and “culture,” and addresses the sustainability of human and natural ecosystems – each dependent on the other.

The Alliance will be offering a class, “Keeping Vegetables: The ART Technique” on December 15 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Desert Marigold School, 6210 S. 28^th Street in Phoenix. The class will discuss the ART (aqueous revitalization technique), which enables you to keep all your self-harvested produce fresh right up until you’re ready to prepare and serve it to your family.  

Based on the same principles that florists use to keep their flowers long-lasting, the workshop will teach you the hows and whys of ART, and how your fresh produce can last two to three times as long using this technique.

No pre-registration is required and the cost is $15 payable at time of the class. For a complete list of classes and workshops offered by the Valley Permaculture Alliance, visit phoenixpermaculture.org/events.

Pack a better lunch: Opt for an insulated Bazura bag, made by a women’s co-op in the Philippines from recycled juice boxes, starting at $15.95 at reusablebags.com, and pair it with a reusable water bottle. And, when it comes to what to actually pack in the lunchbox, try a local farmer’s market. An apple a day will taste good, help the local economy and cut down on the energy costs of shipping. To find a market or co-op near you, go to eatwellguide.com.

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As the President calls on Congress to keep interest rates low for the 7.4 million borrowers who are expected to take out subsidized federal students loans next year, these data confirm that higher education is critical for socioeconomic advancement. In fact, interest rates on new subsidized loans were set to increase from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1. However, just a few days before the deadline, Congress voted to extend the 3.4 percent interest rate for another year.

As state budgets have repeatedly come under stress, state support for higher education has declined as a share of funding for public higher education, increasingly pushing students and their families to depend on affordable loans and education grants through federal financial aid. 

The report states that the economic returns from higher education are large, and have increased dramatically in recent decades. Some key findings demonstrate that:

• There is substantial evidence that education raises earnings. The median weekly earnings for a full-time bachelor’s degree holder in 2011 was 64 percent higher than those for a high school graduate ($1,053 compared to $638.)  
• Higher education is important for intergenerational mobility. Without a degree, children born to parents in the bottom income quintile have a 45 percent chance of remaining there as adults. With a degree, they have less than a 20 percent chance of staying in the bottom quintile of the income distribution.

Additionally, the report notes that state and local funding for public four-year institutions of higher education has declined from almost 60 percent of their revenue in the late 1980s to slightly below 40 percent in recent years. And, because of this declining support from state governments, public institutions have increasingly relied more on tuition as a source of funding. 

Recently, President Obama challenged governors across the nation to do their part to help educate our nation’s students. 

As for covering the costs of higher education, federal aid represents 55 percent of all financial aid to undergraduates at two- and four-year institutions. 

Pell Grants help to make college more affordable for students who come from middle-class and working families, while the Stafford Program provides loans to enrolled students and their families to ensure that access to higher education is within reach.  

Some key data indicate that:

• Pell Grants provide eligible undergraduate students with funds for higher education. The Obama administration has increased the maximum Pell Grant by over $900 and provided support to over 3 million additional students.
• Stafford loans are part of the federal student loan program for undergraduate and graduate students. Forty-four percent of all Stafford loans are subsidized, meaning that students do not pay interest while in school; for unsubsidized loans, the student is responsible for paying interest while still enrolled.

The full report can be accessed via the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s website at treasury.gov

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The new program allows top students to get two degrees – one from the W. P. Carey School of Business and one from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering – at the same time.

“The Business and Engineering Scholars Program, which just started this fall, utilizes two of the highest-ranked schools at ASU to produce extremely qualified graduates in both business and engineering in just four years,” says W. P. Carey School of Business Dean, Robert Mittelstaedt. “This is the dream program for many honors students, who want to be prepared for a high-impact career.”

The concurrent degrees program features the opportunity to earn dual degrees in areas like economics, industrial engineering, engineering management and even supply chain management, a field in which the W. P. Carey School consistently ranks among the top 10 in the nation. 

The program is offered at ASU’s Tempe campus and is one of four new undergraduate offerings from the W. P. Carey School this fall.

The other three new options are part of the W. P. Carey School’s popular Bachelor of Arts in Business program that combines traditional, high-caliber business degrees with concentrations from other ASU schools. 

The new concentrations are in technology, statistics and global leadership.

“For example, the business-and-technology degree can please both the parents, who want their kids to get a high-quality business degree, and the students, who want to develop video games or be involved in digital media or social entrepreneurship,” says Tim Desch, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Admissions at the W. P. Carey School.

The technology concentration is offered at ASU’s Polytechnic campus in Mesa, in conjunction with the College of Technology and Innovation. The other two new concentrations are being offered at ASU’s West campus in northwest Phoenix, in coordination with the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.

“The field of statistics offers relatively high salaries and a growing number of jobs right now,” says Kay Faris, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs for the W. P. Carey School of Business.

“If you want to be a financial analyst, an actuary or a market researcher, among other occupations, this degree should really help. Those who take the global leadership concentration will get a great background in international politics and cultures, including a Spanish course specifically for business use,” adds Faris.

The four new degree programs bring the total number of undergraduate offerings from the W. P. Carey School of Business to 21. 

Students can focus on everything from traditional areas like marketing, finance or management, to combination business degrees with concentrations in areas such as sustainability or legal studies. 

The school will soon begin taking applications for fall, 2013, when two more innovative offerings will be introduced, pending university approval. 

They will be bachelor’s degrees in business with concentrations in either human resources or sports and media studies. The latter degree will be offered in conjunction with ASU’s prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The W. P. Carey School’s undergraduate business program is currently ranked among the top 30 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. 

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In accordance with ARS 15-241, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is charged with assigning letter grades to every district and charter school in the state. These letter grades are based on student performance on the AIMS tests and student academic growth from year to year, with additional points awarded for high numbers of English language learner reclassifications, as well as significant reductions in dropout rates. 

Every school and district receives a report card with a grade that reflects their annual academic profile. 

In order to comply with the Arizona law, ADE added three more models to the letter grading system this year, which provide even greater value to parents as they choose appropriate school placement for their children.

Over the last two years, the A—F grades were applied to a traditional school model that included schools with student populations over 100. This year, the Department, working collaboratively with the education community, developed an A—F model for small schools with student populations under 100, alternative schools, and K-2 schools. 

“Our Department is dedicated to providing parents fair, yet rigorous, evaluations of schools so they can make informed decisions about their child’s education,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction, John Huppenthal. 

“We recognize that higher accountability leads to higher academic results. This has been proven over the last year, as we see a general upward trend in grades for many schools, charters and districts,” Huppenthal added.

In 2012, 23 percent of Arizona’s 1,733 schools received an “A” grade, while 34 percent received a “B.” A comparison of the 1,473 schools that received letter grades in both 2011 and 2012 shows an overall increase in the number of  “A” and “B” schools in 2012, with an attendant decrease in the number of  “C” and “D” schools. Twenty-five percent of Arizona schools increased their letter grades, while 62 percent maintained the same grade. 

“Through our A—F letter grading accountability system we are able to identify educational weaknesses and strengths that can help drive schools to improve,” Huppenthal stated. “I am committed to working with our educational leaders, teachers, parents and students as we identify areas needing improvement and develop strategies to continue to improve results for our students.”

To view the A—F letter grades, visit azed.gov/research-evaluation/a-f-accountability/ 

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Did you know that, in the early 20th century, the mind was viewed as a muscle that could be strengthened through mental exercise? And, since exercise could be done at home, homework was viewed favorably. 

It was during the 1940s that schools began shifting their emphasis from memorization to problem solving. Homework fell out of favor because it was closely associated with the repetition of material.

In the 1950s, Americans worried that education lacked rigor and left children unprepared for the new technologies, such as electronics. Homework, it was believed, could speed up learning. Fast forward to the 1960s, when educators and parents became concerned that homework was crowding out social experience, outdoor recreation and creative activities. 

Two decades later, in the 1980s, homework again came back into favor as it came to be viewed as one way to stem a rising tide of mediocrity in American education. The push for more homework continued into the 1990s, fueled by rising academic standards.

And, so, with this brief history behind us, the next question is: “Homework – to do, or not to do?”

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s online guide,“Homework Tips for Parents,” homework can have many benefits for young children. 

The guide suggests that homework can improve remembering and understanding of school work and can help students develop study skills that will be of value even after they leave school. It can teach them that learning takes place anywhere, not just in the classroom. Also, according to the guide, homework can foster positive character traits, such as independence and responsibility. 

However, if not properly assigned and monitored, homework might also have negative effects on children. 

Educators and parents worry that students will grow bored if they are required to spend too much time on schoolwork, and can prevent children from taking part in leisure-time and community activities that also teach important life skills. Homework can lead to undesirable character traits if it promotes cheating, either through the copying of assignments or getting help with homework that goes beyond tutoring.

The guide goes on to suggest that it remains the job of parents and educators to maximize the benefits of homework and minimize the costs.

Más homework?

What about the quantity of homework a student should receive?

Experts agree that the amount of homework should depend on the age and skills of the student. Many national groups of teachers and parents, including the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), suggest that homework for children in kindergarten through second grade is most effective when it does not exceed 10-20 minutes each day. 

In the third through sixth grades, children can benefit from 30-60 minutes of homework per day. Junior high and high school students can benefit from more time on homework, and the amount may vary from night to night.

Experts also agree that reading at home is especially important for young children. High-interest reading assignments might push the time on homework a bit beyond the suggested homework minutes. 

These recommendations are consistent with the conclusions reached by many studies that examined the effectiveness of homework. For young children, research shows that shorter and more frequent assignments may be more effective than longer but fewer assignments. This is because young children have short attention spans and need to feel that they have successfully completed a task.

Homework and parental involvement 

According the U.S. Department of Education, research also shows that parent involvement can have either a positive or negative effect on the value of homework. 

Parent involvement can be used to speed up a child’s learning, as well as enhance parents’ appreciation of education. It can give them an opportunity to express positive attitudes about the value of success in school.

However, parental involvement might also interfere with learning. 

For example, parents can confuse children if the teaching techniques they use differ from those used in the classroom. Parental involvement can turn into parental interference if parents complete tasks that the child is capable of completing alone.

Given these possibilities, the potentially most important outcome of mothers’ and fathers’ involvement with their children’s homework is that communication between the school and family can improve. 

Research shows that, if a child is having difficulty with homework, parents should become involved by paying close attention. They should expect more requests from teachers for their help. 

If a child is doing well in school, parents should consider shifting their efforts to providing support for their child’s own choices about how to do homework. 

For more homework tips, and to download the complete “Homework Tips for Parents” guide, as well as “Reading Tips for Parents,” visit the Department of Education’s website at ed.gov.

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