Category Archives: Progress

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) Justin Fields was breathing a little easier this week.

The Chicago quarterback finally showed signs of progress by delivering his best performance this season, and the Bears staged a big comeback, only to come up short in the closing minutes.

They hope those promising steps continue when they host the struggling Washington Commanders in a Thursday night matchup.

Fields set career highs in completion rate (71.4 percent) and passer rating (118.8) in a 29-22 loss at Minnesota on Sunday.

The former Ohio State star was 15 of 21 for a season-best 208 yards and a touchdown.

Fields credited the teams yoga instructor for helping him incorporate breathing exercises the past week or two that he said aided him in staying calm during the game.

I think just doing that automatically keeps me more calm in the pocket and really just during the game, he said. I dont even like doing pregame speeches because I feel like Im so much calmer than everybody else. When the defensive guys are all juiced up ready to go, I just try to stay chill the whole time.

It was an encouraging step for Fields, who ranks at or near the bottom among starting quarterbacks in just about every important passing category. He helped the Bears (2-3) rally from 18 down against Minnesota to grab a 22-21 lead and had them driving after a late touchdown run by Kirk Cousins that put the Vikings back on top.

That last-gasp effort ended when Ihmir Smith-Marsette failed to get out of bounds and was stripped by cornerback Cameron Dantzler Sr. at the Minnesota 39 after a 15-yard reception.

The Commanders (1-4) come in with four straight losses since holding on to beat Jacksonville in their season opener. Tennessee beat them 21-17 last week.

I feel good about what we have, coach Ron Rivera said. Its just now a matter of putting it together.

ON THE CALL

There might be a few people tuning in just to hear Al Michaels on the broadcast.

The famed play-by-play announcer had social media buzzing during last Thursdays Colts-Broncos yawner that featured seven field goals, a dozen punts, 25 third down stops, four interceptions and six fumbles with none recovered by the defense.

Indianapolis prevailed 12-9 in overtime in Denver. Michaels, however, might have been the games top performer with zingers such as this:

This is the type of game youd have as the fifth regional on CBS on Sunday.

And this:

Its first-and-goal. Words I thought I would never speak tonight.

STILL THE STARTER

Even though he threw an interception with 6 seconds left just outside the end zone to seal the Commanders 21-17 loss to Tennessee, Carson Wentz is still unquestionably their starter.

Rivera, who got into some hot water for saying quarterback was the reason his team was behind the NFC East rivals in rebuilding, has shown zero indication hed even consider benching Wentz, who has thrown 10 touchdowns and six picks this season.

I think our quarterback has done some good things, Rivera said. We chose him because we believe in him. We chose him because we looked at what we felt were things that pointed toward him.

Wentz showed up on the injury report this week with a shoulder issue that he and Rivera downplayed.

SECONDARY HELP

The Bears figure to have their best coverage defender back with cornerback Jaylon Johnson expected to return after missing three games because of a quad injury. Johnson, who had a forced fumble and four tackles through the first two games, would have been a full participant had Chicago practiced Monday and Tuesday.

Itll be a great opportunity to show the world what he can do, too, on Thursday Night Football, linebacker Roquan Smith said. A lot of people dont respect him so I think itll be a great opportunity for him to show that. Im rooting him on. I know hes gonna make some big plays coming back.

RETURN TO SOLDIER FIELD

Rivera, a linebacker on the Bears 1985 champions and the defensive coordinator on their 2006 Super Bowl team, said he was past coaching in Chicago. He did it three times already with Carolina.

Its Commanders left tackle Charles Lenos first game back since the team he played his first seven seasons with cut him in May 2021.

I dont know what Im going to feel, I dont know what Im going to expect, but I know it will be something, Leno said.

HARRY DEBUT

Receiver NKeal Harry could make his Bears debut after being activated from injured reserve. Acquired from New England in July, the 2019 first-round pick suffered an ankle injury in training camp that required surgery. Harry never developed into the playmaker Patriots coach Bill Belichick hoped he would become.

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

See the original post here:

Fields, Bears try to build on progress when Commanders visit - The Associated Press - en Espaol

MINNEAPOLIS -- Michigan head mens basketball Juwan Howard, more known for his scoring and rebounding during his playing career, started off his Big Ten media day press conference on Wednesday with an assist.

After replacing Michigan womens players at a particular dais inside Target Center, Howard noticed a purse on one of the seats.

Lailaaa, he called out to sophomore guard Laila Phelia. She was shocked to see shed left it and thrilled to have it back.

Howard, meanwhile, was skeptical about following an insightful, charismatic trio of players.

Im boring as hell, he said with a laugh.

Far from it. Howard gave his thoughts on a variety of topics on Wednesday. Here are some of the highlights:

European vacation

The Wolverines went to France and Greece in August, playing three (well, 2.5) exhibition games against professional competition in addition to sightseeing.

Howard previewed the trip but has not yet spoken publicly since until Wednesday.

I thought it was a great trip for us, he said. It came at a perfect time. We have a team that pretty much only has one returning starter. (Were) bringing in five new freshmen and two transfers that have never played with these guys before. This is a perfect time for us to get a chance to get away and get to learn and know one another, and grow together.

Michigan lost its first game in Paris, won its next in Athens, and led at halftime of its final game, in Mykonos, Greece, before it was cut short due to the opponent being shorthanded.

The games were helpful, though perhaps not as much as the 10 extra practices that came with it. Howard said he learned more about his team over that time.

But what happened off the basketball court was just as important, Howard said. The NCAA allows programs to take such trips every four years.

I wish we could do that every year, Howard said. I wish we could. Its some of the best experience ever as a team, getting a chance to see the world and learn and grow.

NIL update

The last time Howard spoke with the media, a couple of months ago, he was critical of Michigans approach to name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Could we be more proactive with NIL and be more forward-thinking? Yes, he said then. And I say we -- Im including myself, our athletic department, and Michigan as a whole. We can do better.

Howard was asked on Wednesday if hed seen improvements.

Yes, I have seen some progress with the athletic department, he said. Its still growing, but I love the direction where were going.

Santa is coming to town

Michigans new president, Santa Ono, officially starts his term on Thursday. Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier this week he is excited for Onos arrival. So too is Howard.

Howard and Ono and communicated but have not yet met in person.

Im looking forward to it, Howard said. Im also looking forward to Santa joining in and being our president. From what Ive been told and from what Ive seen from afar, hes a true Michigan man and he also enjoys sports as well. Hes also competitive. He wants to win, he wants to see championship banner in Crisler again, and he wants to be a part of that. He wants to see a championship in football and many other sports.

Howard also praised Onos predecessor, Mary Sue Coleman, who filled in after Mark Schlissel was fired in January. Coleman had been Michigans president from 2002 to 2014.

Gotta give up the flowers to president Mary Sue Coleman for what shes donetwice, being our president, Howard said. I really admire and respect her and thank her for being one of the best leaders our university has witnessed.

This years squad

Michigan returns potential preseason All-American center Hunter Dickinson, a junior, but lost the rest of the starters from last years Sweet 16 team.

Terrance Williams II, a junior forward, is back, as is sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin. Michigan added graduate transfers Jaelin Llewellyn, a point guard from Princeton, and wing Joey Baker from Duke, to go along with a freshman class ranked No. 11 in the country.

Howard said that the period in the spring when his roster was in flux -- due to NBA departures and transfers -- was uncomfortable. But he felt the end result was positive, especially given the addition of the two grad transfers,

Those two were perfect two, he said. They have been seamless with their transition. Great guys, fun to coach, want to be coached, too -- thats the key.

Howard likes what hes seen so far from this group.

Overall I feel our team is connected, not just on the court but for the part that matters most to me, off the court, Howard said. They enjoy hanging out together, they communicate well with one another.

Michigan was picked to finish third in the Big Ten, behind first-place Indiana and Illinois, in a preseason media poll. Of course, the Wolverines were picked first last season and ended up eighth.

Everyone has their predictions and opinion, Howard said. Were just going to keep forging ahead and keep growing and keep trying to get better game by game and practice by practice. Hopefully we have some good health, because health plays a large role in your teams success. Im really looking forward to our chances.

See more here:

Juwan Howard on Michigans NIL progress, Europe trip, and preseason predictions - MLive.com

In summary

Californias community colleges arent on track to reach ambitious goals of closing the gaps in graduation rates between racial and ethnic groups. Its central office leaders doubt theyll reach those goals, including new ones laid out by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In 2017, barely a half-year into his tenure as chancellor of the countrys largest system of higher education, Eloy Ortiz Oakley threw down the gauntlet. Under his leadership, the California Community Colleges unveiled a series of unprecedented academic goals dubbed the Vision for Success.

If met, the achievements would catapult Californias moribund community college system to new heights, leading to thousands more students annually earning degrees, certificates and transferring to universities.

The deadline to meet most of those goals came and went last month.

The verdict? The system has virtually no shot of reaching its most audacious academic goals of narrowing by 40% the graduation rate gap among its Black, Latino and white students in five years. Nor is the system on track to narrow the graduation-rate gaps across regions, such as between the Bay Area and the poorer Inland Empire.

While the number of students graduating after three years has inched upward for all regions and almost all demographic groups the regions and groups that were already completing degrees and certificates at higher levels have continued to grow their rates. With even progress across the board, the groups already behind cant catch up unless community colleges graduate them at faster rates. For this reason, its unlikely that the graduation rates will narrow to remove the so-called equity gap among regions and demographic groups.

Were not going to close the equity gaps.

The goals were improbable, but not impossible, Oakley told CalMatters, who retired as the systems chancellor this summer and now leads the College Futures Foundation. (The group supports CalMatters financially but has no influence over the newsrooms coverage).

Still, I think the first five years of Vision for Success goals certainly, you can point to the fact that were not going to close it to 40%, Oakley said.

Even less likely? Gov. Gavin Newsoms more aspirational goals. In a roadmap published this year thats guiding his administrations funding priorities for community colleges, Newsom expects the system to close all equity gaps by 2026 along racial, ethnic and economic lines as well as between students with and without disabilities.

Were not going to close the equity gaps, said Pamela Haynes, president of the Board of Governors, the body that oversees the central office of Californias community college system. At least not by 2026.

Im Black, Im female, and I went through a community college and I went through a UC system it took me 14 years to do it, Haynes said in an interview. I stopped out to have children, I stopped out for a number of reasons, so I know what it takes to go to school.

But even if the system could reach those equity-gap goals, the formula to measure student graduation rates changed last year. That means the California Community Colleges are knowingly using an outdated, less accurate way of tracking data as a way of assessing its progress.

Data under the new way of calculating how many students are graduating after three years is dispiriting.

Your guide to the 2022 general election in California

Under the Vision for Success approach, the rates ranged from 18% for Latino students to 40% for Asian students among those who started in 2016-17.

But under the updated approach, the three-year graduation rates ranged from 7% to 16%, depending on the demographic group.

The new way is arguably more accurate and fairer, because it captures a larger slice of students who enroll at Californias community colleges. The previous approach excluded thousands of students who didnt take at least the equivalent of two courses in their first three years of school and attempted a math and English course resulting in an artificially high graduation rate.

Now, the systems graduation rate is based on any student who attempted a course.

As a consequence, the Chancellors Office of the California Community Colleges is publishing two widely divergent graduation rates, but is using the outdated method with the higher numbers the one published in the Vision for Success as its accountability metric.

Moreover, the public has limited insight into how colleges are doing according to that metric used in the Vision for Success. Unlike the newer way of calculating graduation rates, which allows the public to compare graduation rates of different colleges and regions through an internet tool, no such public dashboard exists for the Vision for Success accountability data.

The system says it cant do much about that, though. Its central office has been understaffed, said Haynes, and doesnt have the bandwidth to build another data dashboard, especially one based on a graduation rate methodology that is likely on its way out.

We will get a new system thats going to be better, but where you change it in the process is critically important, Haynes said.

With two more cohorts or incoming groups of students to track the system is beholden to the outdated Vision for Success calculations until the students who started in fall 2020 finish within three years. In other words, the public wont know how close the system came to reaching its equity-gap goals, set in 2017 and looking ahead to 2022, until that final data is published in spring 2024. Oakley, the chancellor who set the goals together with the board, will have been gone for two years.

The Chancellors Office of the California Community Colleges is publishing two widely divergent graduation rates, but is using the outdated method with the higher numbers as its accountability metric.

The community college system need not wait that long to know how well its doing, said Davis Jenkins, a scholar on community colleges at the Columbia University-affiliated Community College Research Center.

Jenkins and his scholarly peers are advocates of early momentum data, a cluster of indicators about how much a student accomplishes in the first year of studies, such as taking several courses aligned with ones major and completing math and English courses needed to transfer to a public university. Some research says this early momentum data can predict whether that student ultimately graduates with a degree or certificate.

For many students, theres no momentum. About 30% of new community college students dont come back for a second term of study. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic led to a hemorrhaging of student enrollment, Californias community colleges were already losing roughly 100,000 enrolled students annually, a Chancellors Office official told leaders last month. Compelling those students to stay with improved academic offerings and more financial aid can further boost the systems completion goals.

So can degrees and credentials of economic value.

Jenkins points to data his colleague compiled showing many California community college degrees and certificates lead to unimpressive wages. Jenkins wants to see graduation rates not just of any credential, but of degrees and certificates of economic value or that are transferable to a Cal State or UC. He was particularly incredulous of the 53,000 long-term liberal arts certificates California Community Colleges awarded to students in 2019-20 about 17% of all degrees and certificates issued that year, according to federal data.

What the hell is that? he asked. No one knows. Ive been in the business for 40 years.

The topsy-turvey nature of community college data is no accident. While so-called four-year colleges and universities principally issue only one kind of undergraduate certificate of completion, the bachelors degree, community colleges serve multiple purposes that dont always overlap.

Some students attend community colleges to earn enough credits to transfer to a university en route to a bachelors. Others are in it for just an associate degree or a shorter-term certificate. Still others enroll in community colleges to take one class without plans to pursue a credential.

That makes community college students far more varied than those enrolled at the University of California, Cal State University or private colleges. It also means capturing the progress of community college students who are much more likely to work and come from poorer families is far more challenging than simply determining how many students earned a bachelors in four or six years.

But Californias community colleges needed accountability, Oakley and Haynes said. While imperfect, the Vision for Success was the first time the chancellors office articulated a clear set of goals a way to hold up a mirror to the system, Oakley said.

Setting system wide accountability goals for the California Community Colleges is unusual. Unlike the centralized University of California and California State University, the community college system is more of a confederation. Its 115 physical community colleges are largely governed locally by publicly elected trustees from 72 districts not unlike K-12 school boards. Accountability for the community colleges occurred locally, not system wide, Oakley said.

Whether individual colleges share in the Visions excitement depends on whom one asks, said Larry Galizio, president of the group that represents local community college presidents and trustees, the Community College League of California. He said some college leaders view the Vision document as encroaching and dictating what campuses have to do.

The structure of the system is such that theres always going to be a tension between the statewide perspective and the locals, Galizio said, who cited campus police reform as another friction point.

Haynes and Oakley are optimistic new laws will lead to a narrowing of the gaps in graduation rates over time. Those include a new requirement that colleges enroll most students in math and English courses required to transfer to a Cal State or UC.

Last year the Legislature and Newsom approved an expansion of the Cal Grant, the states main financial aid tool, to reach another estimated 133,000 community college students. More students may also receive the grant in two years if the state has the money to afford the expansion.

Between the governors call for closing equity gaps and other aspirations to improve the academic results at the system, Californias community colleges have their work cut out for them.

The bar has moved higher, said Interim Chancellor Daisy Gonzales at a board meeting in August. We thought we had goals; the governor is asking us to do more.

CalMatters is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Californian essential, nonpartisan information.

I appreciate the scope and balanced insights provided by the CalMatters news team.

Featured CalMatters Member

Read the original here:

'We're not going to close the equity gaps': Despite progress, California Community Colleges won't reach Newsom's aspirational goals - CalMatters

Large-scale collaboration will leverage each institutions expertise and infrastructure to advance understanding of the biological basis of pediatric cancers, identify new vulnerabilities of these diseases and accelerate cures globally.

Three of the worlds top research institutions join forces to drive progress against pediatric cancer

Pictured L to R: Francisca Vazquez, Ph.D., Broad Institute Cancer Dependency Map Project director, Kimberly Stegmaier, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, vice chair of Pediatric Oncology Research and Charles W.M. Roberts, M.D., Ph.D., St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center director (Credit: Sevenpair Studios)

Boston, MA and Memphis, TN, Oct. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital today announced the largest academic collaboration of its kind to transform and accelerate the identification of vulnerabilities in pediatric cancers and translate them into better treatments.

The collaboration is supported by a new joint funding investment by all three institutions of more than $60 million over five years. This investment will support infrastructure development and scientific work by a team currently composed of more than 80 collaborating investigators, data scientists and researchstaff. The effort is expected to reach 100 members as each institution adds employees.

By combining the intellectual leadership, technical expertise and institutional resources of the three institutions, this new collaboration is designed to address critical gaps in knowledge related to the biological basis of childhood cancer, and how it might more effectively be treated. The Pediatric Cancer Dependencies Accelerator project, notable for its large scale of investment, number of collaborating scientists and scientific scope, will accelerate progress in the development of new treatments for aggressive childhood cancers by:

Developing and deploying genome editing techniques to identify hidden vulnerabilities (dependencies) in a range of high-risk childhood brain, solid and blood cancers.

Leveraging emerging technologies to characterize the genetic and epigenetic landscape of pediatric cancers.

Developing model systems where none currently exist for high-risk childhood cancers that have poor outcomes.

Identifying effective combination therapies and mechanisms of drug resistance and shortening the timeline for developing new therapies.

Developing computational approaches to mine and integrate data and developing innovative software tools for data sharing.

Story continues

The project is co-led by Charles W.M. Roberts, MD, PhD, St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center director, Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, vice chair of Pediatric Oncology Research, and Francisca Vazquez, PhD, Broad Institute Cancer Dependency Map Project director.

Despite many advances, cancer remains the number one cause of death by disease for children in the U.S., Roberts said. It can take decades in a research lab to understand mechanisms and develop new treatments. Through this project, we believe we can now leapfrog barriers to rapidly identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in childhood cancer and translate those into targeted therapies in the clinic much faster.

Our first-generation Pediatric Cancer Dependency Map project was wildly successful but just the tip of the iceberg, Stegmaier said. I am so excited about this unprecedented collaboration among three extraordinary institutions. The PedDep Accelerator will uncover novel, and much needed, new therapeutic targets while also revealing the mechanistic underpinnings of a wide range of childhood cancers, providing a treasure trove of data for our research community.

"The PedDep Accelerator exemplifies the power of deep collaboration and of bringing a multidisciplinary team together across institutions to tackle an important disease challenge that affects children worldwide," Vazquez said. "Through data sharing and tool development, we are committed to creating a resource that the scientific community can leverage to make a real impact on childhood cancers. I am excited to see the impact this project will have on the pace of therapeutic discovery for pediatric tumors."

Pediatric cancer: An opportunity for innovation and discovery

The collaboration builds on groundbreaking research initiatives from each institution. Over the past decade, the St. Jude-Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project and other large-scale sequencing efforts have yielded rich insights into the genomic landscape of pediatric cancers, including the understanding that most disease-driving genetic mutations are not druggable. Developing precision therapies will require identifying cancer dependencies and vulnerabilities that are not revealed by mining genomic datasets alone.

The Cancer Dependency Map (DepMap) Initiative at Broad has developed extensive, world-class datasets and computational infrastructure that has impacted research and target discovery programs worldwide. Launched in 2015, the Pediatric Cancer Dependency Map Project (PedDep) served as a proof-of-concept to apply the DepMap approach to childhood cancers. For example, whole-genome CRISPR screens have now been effectively deployed at scale to identify vulnerabilities in hundreds of adult cancers, and proof of principle has been established that these approaches can also identify weaknesses in childhood cancers, which often have much simpler genomes. Large-scale drug screening capabilities have also been developed. That infrastructure and expertise will be leveraged and expanded through this effort.

The project will rely on modeling expertise from St. Jude and Dana-Farber in the creation of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models that use cancer cells from patients, and thus more closely match the biology of the disease as it appears in the clinic. Computational biologists at St. Jude will contribute a breadth of expertise on the analyses of epigenomic and genomic characterizations, data visualization and the development of computational pipelines. Additionally, St. Jude infrastructure will facilitate combination drug screening andin vivoCRISPR- and drug-screening approaches.

Cross-functional groups will include Broad, Dana-Farber and St. Jude investigators, focusing on three core disease areas (brain tumors, hematological malignancies and solid tumors) and bringing to bear pan-cancer expertise in data science, functional genomics and large-scale drug screening. Together, researchers at these institutions will enhance and accelerate progress by combining unique strengths and resources to address the greatest challenges to understanding and treating pediatric cancers.

###

About the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard was launched in 2004 to empower this generation of creative scientists to transform medicine. The Broad Institute seeks to describe the molecular components of life and their connections; discover the molecular basis of major human diseases; develop effective new approaches to diagnostics and therapeutics; and disseminate discoveries, tools, methods, and data openly to the entire scientific community.

Founded by MIT, Harvard, Harvard-affiliated hospitals, and the visionary Los Angeles philanthropists Eli and Edythe L. Broad, the Broad Institute includes faculty, professional staff, and students from throughout the MIT and Harvard biomedical research communities and beyond, with collaborations spanning over a hundred private and public institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide. For further information about the Broad Institute, go to http://www.broadinstitute.org.

About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dana-Farber Cancer Instituteis one of the worlds leading cancer centers with a unique and equal balance of cancer research and treatment. Dana-Farbers mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. Dana-Farber is a federally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

We provide the latest treatments in cancer for adults throughDana-Farber Brigham Cancer Centerand for children throughDana-Farber/Boston Childrens Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is the only hospital nationwide with a top 5U.S. News & World ReportBest Cancer Hospital ranking in both adult and pediatric care.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. JudeChildren's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed atSt. Judehave helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened 60 years ago.St. Judefreely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved atSt. Judemeans doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill fromSt. Judefor treatment, travel, housing and food so families can focus on helping their child live. To learn more, visitstjude.orgorfollowSt. Judeon social media at@stjuderesearch.

Media Relations Contacts

Karen Zusi-Tran Broad Institute

Desk: (617) 714-8600

kzusi@broadinstitute.org

Ellen Berlin Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Desk: (617) 632-5357

Ellen_berlin@dfci.harvard.edu

Emily Gest St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital

Desk: (901) 595-0260

Cell: (901) 568-9869

emily.gest@stjude.org

Attachment

See the article here:

Three of the worlds top research institutions join forces to drive progress against pediatric cancer - Yahoo Finance

Project created new prototypes for screen reader users that have broader implications for making math accessible beyond K-12 education

October is National Blindness Awareness Month

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --NWEA, a not-for-profit, research and educational services organization serving K-12 students, today announced progress it has made towards creating an accessible and equitable math assessment for middle school students with visual impairments.Last October, NWEA was awarded an AI for Accessibility grant from Microsoft. The project, led by research manager, Dr. Elizabeth Barker, in collaboration with Perkins AccessDigital Accessibility Consulting, the Governor Morehead School, and two key local experts: Sonja Steinbach, a math educator who works with students with visual impairments, and Neil Soiffer, an accessibility mathematics developer, aimed to create accessible assessment formats. NWEA has chosen to tackle this important challenge, wanting to ensure students with visual impairments benefit from accessible math and have equal opportunities in their studies.

NWEA (PRNewsfoto/NWEA)

Seventy-five percent of students who are blind or low vision are at least one grade behind their peers. This is due to a large number of access barriers that contribute to the lack of accessible math education. Classroom materials are not always adapted to formats such as braille, large print, materials suitable for a screen reader, auditory input, or a combination of these designs. Creating accessible formats for students with visual impairments is important for their learning and success, which is why NWEA is committed to addressing such barriers through the work of this grant.

"Last year when we were awarded this grant, I knew we had our work cut out for us because creating accessible online math for students using assistive technology would be a challenge," said Barker. "Now, a year later, I am so impressed with our team and the progress we have made. Actual educators and students are testing our ideas in the classroom and we're seeing real progress. I am looking forward to what we will accomplish in a year from now."

Story continues

Since last year, NWEA has integrated process-driven math (PDM) a learning support tool that uses chunking to simplify the landscape of complex algebraic expressions and reduce the cognitive load on working memory into their prototype. Two equation prototypes were developed to allow screen reader users to select various parts of a mathematics equation and drill into the parts they want to explore. When using a screen reader, a student would generally need to listen to the whole equation, read from left to right. With the prototypes, by applying the philosophy behind PDM, students have the independence on how and where to interact with a math problem. This decreases cognitive load since they do not have to listen to the entire equation all at once; they can skip the part they've already heard. The prototype gives a broad overview of an equation, akin to a glance from a person with sight, and then allows the student to dig in deeper to any part they wish.

"I have a visual impairment and faced many barriers throughout my education. There were many times I couldn't read the board and had to use electronic magnifiers to read my textbook," said Steinbach, who has been testing the prototype with students in the Governor Morehead School. "I heard the students say 'this is fun,' which is not something I have ever heard in any of my math classes. I was also told that 'It's a good thing that it is accessible,' which is another very rare utterance when it comes to the portrayal of mathematics online. This just proves the importance and impact of creating accessible learning for our students."

Next steps for NWEA will involve creating a more efficient way to navigate math equations for multiple assistive technology devices bypassing the challenge of diversity of devices and browsers while ensuring efficacy and providing the best accessible options. The team's hope is that students will be able to utilize multiple forms of access such as screen readers, refreshable braille (both Nemeth and UEB), and the ability to use voice.

"Through the work of this project, we have been able to identify and make progress towards eliminating barriers. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that all students have equal access to the questions in order to demonstrate their learning," said Geoff Freed, Director of Digital Accessibility Consulting at Perkins Access.

For more information about the AI for Accessibility grant program, visit theAI for Accessibility website, and for more information about NWEA research, visit: nwea.org/research.

About NWEA

NWEA (formerly known as Northwest Evaluation Association) is a mission-driven, not-for-profit organization that supports students and educators in more than 146 countries through research, assessment solutions, policy and advocacy services, professional learning and school improvement services that fight for equity, drive classroom impact and push for systemic change in our educational communities. Visit NWEA.org to learn more about how we're partnering with educators to help all kids learn.

For media inquiries, please contact Simona Beattie, Sr. Manager, Public Relations, at simona.beattie@nwea.org or (971) 361-9526.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nwea-shares-progress-on-using-ai-to-identify-and-remove-barriers-within-mathematics-for-students-with-visual-impairments-301647762.html

SOURCE NWEA

Continued here:

NWEA Shares Progress on Using AI to Identify and Remove Barriers Within Mathematics for Students with Visual Impairments - Yahoo Finance

After several years of delays, the Never Forget Park project appears to be moving along. The committee made up of D'Ron Campbell, Jon Winter, Ron Hutchins, Stacy Crimmins and Joe Parsons has been meeting regularly for over a year.

Phase 1 of the project, which includes curb, gutter and a memorial sculpture, is currently progressing.

The design and engineering plans went out to bid after the committee finalized the design last week. According to the press release Councilman Hutchins and Department of Public Works director Jon Winter spent a large amount of time working with WLC Engineering to get the bid packet ready. The committee hopes work can begin this fall.

The Platte Valley Arts Council underwrote the memorial sculpture that was created by Sierra Smith. It currently resides in front of the Platte Valley Community Center but will be moved to the park as soon as everything is ready.

Stacy Crimmins drew an artist's rendering of the park based on the final design. She also donated her time to create the site and set up the account.

Town of Saratoga Treasurer Georgia Gayle and the committee have been working on getting the website ready to accept donations directly on the website.

Phase II of the Never Forget Park will involve the irrigation system, adding electricity and lights for the pavilion. They will also plant trees, shrubs, and a wild flower bed.

Phase III will involve building the pavilion and the restrooms.

Never Forget Park will act as a tribute to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of others, that they will not be forgotten.

Tyler Pickett was a graduate of Saratoga High School. Army Staff Sergeant Pickett was killed June 8, 2008, in a suicide bombing in Kirkuk Province, Iraq.

The website is neverforgetpark.com.

Visit link:

Phase 1 in progress - The Saratoga Sun - The Saratoga Sun Homepage

Its lonely at the top, but according to a new Korn Ferry study, women CEOs are slowly getting a bit more company.

The study, Women CEOs Speak Today, highlights the career journeys of women CEOs and what led to their successes and their ability to transform the CEO role. The study updates 2017 research done by Korn Ferry and The Rockefeller Foundation, and reveals that while progress has been made, much more needs to be accomplished.

Just five years ago women represented only 6% of Fortune 500 CEOs. Today, that number has risen to approximately 9%. The progress that has been made toward The Rockefeller Foundations goal of 20% women CEOs in the Fortune 500 by 2025 is positive, but not nearly enough. To continue to build momentum, starting early in their careers, women need to be encouraged and offered development opportunities to rise to the highest echelons of the corporate world. Today, female CEOs are still largely fortuitous appointments rather than the result of tapping into systemic, sustainable pipelines.

Study after study shows that diverse leadership is more than a nice-to-have, its a business imperative to increase performance and profitability. Ive seen firsthand that when women lead, they succeed, from the corporate boardroom to the walls of power to the Situation Room. To address todays challenges, we can, and we must, meet the demand for talented CEOs with the many qualified women ready to leadit is simply in everyones best interests, said Retired Adm. James Stavridis, Chair of The Rockefeller Foundation Board of Trustees.

The new study finds rich diversity in womens paths to the CEO role todayeverything from engineering to sales, law and medicine, along with the finance and STEM backgrounds found among women who participated in the first study.

The study also notes that fewer women today said they had to fight their way into the corner office, nor were they surprised when they were tapped for the role. These CEOs were aware that being CEO was a possibility for them and they sought roles and board service that would prepare them to lead at the enterprise level.

Also, in many cases they say they were cultivated by sponsors/mentors to become CEOs, and importantly, they were highly interested in being looked at as CEOs and not as women CEOs.

So why hasnt more progress been made? Organizations continue to holdmost ofthe power in determining the diversity of their own C-suites. Much of that control is shared between boards, top executives and HR. Its imperative that allgroups foster sustainingand inclusive, systemic practicesto promote and identify talent early. Its not just promoting women but putting them clearly on succession tracks. The report on female CEOs echoes this,with 40% of respondents emphasizing theneed for companies to talk early with employees about their careerpotential andprovideprograms that support leadership career paths.

At most companies, futureCEOsneed to be insequencedglobal rotationsacross P&L leadership and key enterprise roles starting 10 to 15 years before they enter theC-suite.These key roles,especiallybroad general-management jobs, areoften skipped overleading to the lack of experienced candidates.

Future CEOs typically need leadership experience in specificpositions:operatingprofit-and-lossroles, functionalenterprise-wideroles, and geographic leadership roles that allow rising stars to see froma broad lens.Early board seats are also important,an ideaechoed by 70% of the female leaders in the CEO report.

Few corporate pipelines are dependably hitting all thosemarks,and fewer still includewomen at every stage of their careers.Standards and policies for ascension should be clear and transparent. Succession processes often need to be rethought and potentially redesigned.

For organizations, the report recommends fostering a culture that encourages intentional growth and development in a systemic fashion, and supports women as they move across areas to gain an enterprise perspective. For women, it recommends opening their aperture to the corner office, building and leveraging key relationships and alliances (both inside and outside their company), and practicing the self-care so essential to extending and sustaining their leadership impact.

See the article here:

Study On Women In The Corner Office Finds Progress, But Still A Ways To Go - Chief Executive

Mercedes have admitted that it is difficult to measure how much lap time the W13 has gained since the beginning of the season.

The team endured a tough start to 2022, with their car struggling to match the pace of rivals Red Bull and Ferrari as well as suffering from issues with bouncing and porpoising.

There looked to be signs of improvement as the campaign progressed; before F1's traditional summer break, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell scored back-to-back double podiums for the Silver Arrows in France and Hungary.

Recent races have posed challenges for the squad, though, resulting in them slipping back from Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship battle for P2.

When asked just how much the car has been improved since the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Mercedes' Technical Director Mike Elliott explained why it is tough to define this.

"I think that's a really difficult question to answer," Elliott told media over the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.

"Because I think you can look at the theoretical performance you've added to the car but, if you look at where we were back at the beginning of the season with the car bouncing around all over the place it's very difficult to put a number to that.

"I think if we were in that position here [at Suzuka], we'd be probably off the back of the grid. I think the whole of the grid has moved forward considerably."

The race at Suzuka turned out to be a tough one for Mercedes. Hamilton and Russell struggled to progress through the field in the race which was shortened to 28 laps following a two-hour delay due to weather conditions and finished in P5 and P8 respectively.

Andrew Shovlin, the team's Trackside Engineering Director, admits that there are areas for the Brackley-based outfit to improve on during the final Grands Prix of the season.

"Our weekend has been pretty tough but [Sunday] was frustrating: the car had good pace, but we were just stuck behind cars and had no chance of getting through without DRS [Drag Reduction System]," Shovlin explained.

"[There are] plenty of things over the last two races that we can improve on, not least giving the drivers a better car in qualifying so we can hopefully start closer to the front.

"We'll be busy for the next week getting ready for Austin and hoping to get ourselves back into a position where we are racing for the podium positions."

See the original post here:

Mercedes reveal reason why their progress is so difficult to measure - Racingnews365.com

Today we published our Annual Report and Accounts for 2021 to 2022. This was my first annual report as Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Justice Board (YJB), and I would like to place on record my thanks to all those who have helped produce this report and ensure its accuracy.

The opportunity to lead the Youth Justice Board as Chief Executive is enormously exciting, and there is nothing more important for me than improving the life chances of children. When I was working in adult prisons, I saw first-hand the consequences of failure and I believe, as a result, you will not find anyone more determined to ensure we are effective in keeping children out of the system and supporting them to live happy, safe, crime-free lives.

Our activity over the past year was yet again set against the backdrop of the pandemic. At the YJB, we continued to follow a fully remote operating model from March 2020 up to January 2022. Following consultation with our staff we subsequently developed a hybrid model, enabling our staff to return to face-to-face working, where appropriate, whilst allowing the organisation to attract and support diverse talent with an increase in national rather than London-based contracts.

Despite us seeing the easing of COVID-19 restrictions across England and Wales, the challenges for both children and the sector were still evident, and we have yet to see the full impact this has had on their lives and futures. Reduced access to education and other critical support services, increased trauma and mental illness, fewer opportunities for safeguarding and more opportunities for online exploitation all form a worrying reality for children and those across the sector.

Of course, we welcome the past years continued falls in the number of children entering the justice system and those who received a caution or sentence. Reoffending rates decreased again, and the youth custody population stands at an all-time low. But there is no room for complacency: as highlighted recently in a review by the National Audit Office, we have serious grounds to expect a worsening of this picture in the immediate future, with a potential doubling of children in custody by 2024. Long term impacts of the pandemic, combined with the economic shocks that have followed it, seem likely to make far more children far more at risk of coming into the criminal justice system. The YJB will grasp with both hands the challenge of ensuring that the gains made in recent years are sustained.

But, while I welcome these reductions, overwhelmingly I was saddened by yet more evidence of the shocking disparity for children from ethnic minorities. In particular, children with Black and Mixed ethnicities are significantly overrepresented at every stage in the youth justice system. We have undertaken a wide range of activity over the past year to tackle this issue which includes commissioning two research projects with a focus on disproportionality, sharing area level detail on disparity with Police and Crime Commissioners and taking forward an initiative to get children from ethnic minorities into employment. We have also continued to work with our partners, such as the Magistrates Association, to help tackle these disparities, including the development of a checklist for magistrates, to further guard against any potential bias in decision-making.

I was pleased to see that strong progress was made towards our vision of a Child First youth justice system. In essence, we want a system which treats children as children and supports them to become the best version of themselves.

Weve never been under any illusions about how ambitious this goal is and recognise that it will take a concerted effort from us and all our partners. Nevertheless, we are up for the challenge and the potential benefits to children and our communities alike far exceed any drawbacks. Significant activity over the past year includes work in Wales to develop trauma informed approaches and services in support of its Youth Justice Blueprint. Also, across both England and Wales we commissioned a joint prevention and diversion project to help us increase our understanding and oversight of how this work is delivered by youth justice services.

This year we also took the opportunity to review the pathfinder model that was introduced in 2018. The review found that the pathfinder model was a worthwhile element of sector improvement work. It was also clear that the underlying principles of pathfinders were sound and the introduction of a formal selection process would improve the model further. All current pathfinders will continue as planned and we are designing the selection process for the next pathfinders. We are working to have the new approach in place ready for the 2023/24 financial year.

In December 2021, we secured Board approval for an exciting new initiative to maximise our impact, rebalance how we deliver our statutory functions and change our focus from being driven by risk to being driven by benefits. Known as our new sense of purpose, this change programme will allow a significant review of our current position and consider how we deploy our people, manage processes, provide advice and invest tax-payers money, including the youth justice grant.

Finally, I would like to thank YJB staff and our colleagues and partners across the system for the welcome shown to me as I started my new role. I remain in awe of your relentless determination to improve the lives of children in the youth justice system and all that you have achieved over the past year.

Read more here:

Strong progress towards a Child First youth justice system - GOV.UK

With little or no progress made on bringing inflation down, the Federal Reserve needs to continue raising interest rates, Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said Tuesday.

At some point, you know, as inflation comes down, them my risk calculation will shift as well and we will want to either slow the rate increases, hold for some time and assess the cumulative impact on what weve done, Mester told reporters after a speech to the Economic Club of New York.

But at this point, my concerns lie more on we havent seen progress on inflation , we have seen some moderation- but to my mind it means we still have to go a little bit further, Mester said.

In her speech, the Cleveland Fed president said the central bank needed to be wary of wishful thinking about inflation that would lead the central bank to pause or reverse course prematurely.

Given current economic conditions and the outlook, in my view, at the point the larger risks come from tightening too little and allowing very high inflation to persist and become embedded in the economy, Mester said.

She said she thinks inflation will be more persistent than some of her colleagues.

As a result, her preferred path for the Feds benchmark rate is slightly higher than the median forecast of the Feds dot-plot, which points to rates getting to a range of 4.5%-4.75% by next year.

Mester, who is a voting member of the Feds interest-rate committee this year, repeated she doesnt expect any cuts in the Feds benchmark rate next year. She stressed that this forecast is based on her current reading of the economy and she will adjust her views based on the economic and financial information for the outlook and the risks around the outlook.

Opinion: Fed is missing signals from leading inflation indicators

Mester said she doesnt rely solely on government data on inflation because some of it was backward looking. She said supplements her research with talks with business contacts about their price-setting plans and uses some economic models.

The Fed is also helped by some real-time data, she added.

I dont see the signs Id like to see on the inflation, she added,

Mester said she didnt see any big, pending risks in terms of financial stability concerns.

There is no evidence that there is disorderly market functioning going on at present, she said.

U.S. stocks were mixed on Tuesday afternoon with the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +2.80% up a bit but the S&P 500 in negative territory. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note TMUBMUSD10Y, 3.915% inched up to 3.9%

See more here:

Fed's Mester says there's been no progress on inflation, so interest rates need to move higher - MarketWatch