Donate 15 minutes of your time today for the future of education!

Have a voice, participate in National Speak Up Day today December 18, 2013! Join the conversation about the use of technology for learning through Speak Up, a National Research Project. Since 2003, over 3.3 million K-12 education stakeholders have participated in the annual online surveys. Data findings are shared each year with federal, state and local policymakers to inform education programs, policies and funding. By giving 15 minutes of your time to Speak Up America 2013 (www.tomorrow.org/speakup), you can make sure your voice is heard loud and clear from classrooms to the halls of Congress, from state capitols to boardrooms. Ensure that policymakers are making those important program and funding decisions based upon real data from real education stakeholders – you! We would like everyone to have a voice in the future of how technology is used in our nation’s schools. So, please share this link with your friends, students, teachers, parents, administrators, community organizations, members, affiliates or anyone who has a passion for improving education and ask them to take the Speak Up survey TODAY. More than 366,000 K-12 students, parents, educators and members of the community have already completed Speak Up surveys, this year, from all across the country. But now it is your time - Speak Up, America! Have a voice in the future of digital learning in our nation’s schools by participating in this year’s special Speak Up America campaign. To “Speak Up,” simply visit www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2013 to take the online survey by Dec. 20th! Speak Up America 2013 a week in review: 366,090 (and counting!) overall surveys taken. Surveys taken this week 51,326 (and counting!). Speak Up Superstars! Our top participants as of today, based on total survey counts: Top Schools: North Carolina Virtual School, NC Weslaco High School, Weslaco ISD, TX Newport Harbor High School, Newport-Mesa Unified, CA Florida Virtual High School (FLVS), FL Memorial High School, McAllen ISD, TX Top Districts: Klein ISD, TX McAllen ISD, TX Weslaco ISD, TX Shelby County School District, AL Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Top States: Texas with 69,593 California with 46,317 Alabama with 32,975 Indiana with 27,390 North Carolina with 25,791 Speak Up America's Photo Challenge $500 grant Winners: Get your photos in today, there are still 3 chances to win! Entries are cumulative and multiple teachers from your school can enter each day! For more information on the photo challenge, to see examples and to find out who won, please visit the Speak Up Photo Challenge page on our website at:http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakupamerica_photoChallenge.html Speak Up Data Snapshots Click each audience to view the 2013 preliminary data infographic for that group, or to view them all go to:http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakupamerica_snapshot.html! Educators Parents Students Administrators—Thursday, December 19, 2013 Community Members—Friday, December 20, 2013 Thank you for your interest and continued support of Speak Up! We look forward to your participation in Speak Up 2013! Be sure to stay updated on all things Speak Up by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and ourBlog. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at jhostert@tomorrow.org or via phone at 949/609-4660 ext. 17. Jenny Hostert Speak Up Operations Manager Project Tomorrow

Educators, have your students participate in Speak Up for a chance to win a $500 grant for your classroom or school!

Photo Challenge

 Join in on the fun and take part in our Speak Up America Photo Challenge! Just Follow the steps below:

DOWNLOAD THE SPEAK UP AMERICA BADGE AT:

http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/speakupamerica_badge.html

Post photos to one of the following social media sites:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speakuped

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpEd

Instagram: http://instagram.com/speakuped

Or by email to: speakup@tomorrow.org

We are very sensitive to student and participants’ privacy and with that no faces are required to be in the photo. We just ask that you incorporate our special Speak Up America badge into a photo of your classroom or school, the more creative the better!

Challenge Rules:

·         There must be record of survey completion in our system i.e. surveys taken at your school.

·         Winners will be announced the following day

·         You may only submit one picture per teacher or school per day (a school and multiple teachers from that school may enter on the same day, increase your chances!)

·         A teacher or school may only win once during the photo challenge

·         At least 25 submissions must be present for daily selection to occur, be sure to encourage others to participate.

See below for some examples:

Other ideas:
-Image of the front of your school with the Speak Up America Badge
-Photo from back of the room of students completing the survey
-Group photo of teachers or school office staff who have completed the survey

Check back later to see today for the announcement of Monday's Photo Challenge winner!

Speak Up, America! What do you think about technology use for learning?

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, smartphones, tablets, mobile apps, online classes and games – do these digital tools or others like them really have a place within our classrooms today? 

Are students more engaged in learning when instruction includes these tools? 

Can technology increase teacher productivity or student achievement?  

Do these tools support the development of critical thinking, communications, teamwork and global awareness? 

What are the expectations of parents, business leaders and community members around the use of  technology within learning? 

And if schools want to make better use of these digital tools, what are the challenges they face – is it funding, teacher training, support, bandwidth?  

How do students say they want to use these digital tools to support learning?   

It’s time to share your answers to these questions!

All across America, district administration teams, school boards, civic leaders and state and federal policymakers are asking these same questions.  And too often they are relying upon hunches, guesses or outdated reports to inform their policies, plans and programs.  That’s just silly – and not an example of good decision-making.  

They can learn directly from you – students, parents, teachers, administrators and community leaders – to inform their decisions on these topics. 

By giving 15 minutes of your time to Speak Up America 2013 (www.tomorrow.org/speakup), you can make sure your voice is heard loud and clear from classrooms to the halls of Congress, from state capitols to boardrooms.  Ensure that policymakers are making those important program and funding decisions based upon real data from real education stakeholders – you!   

We would like everyone to have a voice in the future of how technology is used in our nation’s schools.  So, please share this link with your friends, students, teachers, parents, administrators, community organizations, members, affiliates or anyone who has a passion for improving education and ask them to take the Speak Up survey THIS WEEK. 

More than 300,000 K-12 students, parents and educators have already completed Speak Up surveys from all across the country.  But now it is your time - Speak Up, America!  Have a voice in the future of digital learning in our nation’s schools by participating in this year’s special Speak Up America campaign by Dec. 20^th!

Learn more at www.tomorrow.org/speakup.  

Announcing the “Speak Up America 2013” Campaign!

Since 2003, the annual Speak Up survey has collected data from students, parents, educators and the local community about technology, learning, and schools. This year over 300,000 Students, Parents and Educators representing over 5,500 schools nationwide have already participated in Speak Up. In honor of the superb survey period this year, on Monday Dec. 16th Project Tomorrow will kick off “Speak Up America 2013” a weeklong event to celebrate Speak Up participants, past, present and new! During this event there will be a daily release of Speak Up 2013 preliminary data snapshots, recognition of top participants and best of all opportunities to win free ISTE Conference registrations and a daily $500 classroom or school grant! Now’s the time to participate, Speak Up closes on December 20th! Speak Up today and all next week at http://www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2013/. Below you will find all the great promotions and happenings taking place during Speak Up America 2013: National Speak Up Day – Wednesday December 18th $500 classroom or school grant Photo Challenge – Daily Free ISTE Conference registration - 2 chances to win throughout the week Speak Up 2013 Preliminary data snapshots- Daily How does your state compare? View the “Are you Speaking Up” state participant map to see where your state falls. - Daily Click here to view promotions and happenings on our website. National Speak Up Day Donate 15 minutes of your time today for the future of education! Have a voice, participate in National Speak Up Day on Wednesday, December 18, 2013! The highlight of the Speak Up America 2013 Campaign will take place onWednesday, December 18, 2013 with the launch of our first ever National Speak Up Day! National Speak Up Day is the day to encourage your community to participate. We would like everyone to have a voice in the future of how technology is used in our nation’s schools, so please share this link:www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2013 with your students, teachers, parents, administrators, community organizations, members, affiliates or anyone who has a passion for improving education and ask them to take the Speak Up survey. The more surveys you get in the more opportunities you have to win a FREE ISTE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION! Every survey submitted on this date will be entered into a special drawing for not only a free ISTE conference registration for your district, but once in Atlanta, dinner is on us. Here’s your chance to pick our CEO Julie Evans’ brain on all things digital learning by joining Julie for some real Southern Cooking at Pitty Pat Porch. Photo Challenge DOWNLOAD THE SPEAK UP AMERICA BADGE HERE Educators, have your students participate in Speak Up for a chance to win a $500 grant for your classroom or school! Planning to have your class or school participate in Speak Up this week? Already had your class or school participate? Need a little incentive to get your class or school to participate? Join in on the fun and take part in our Speak Up America Photo Challenge. To celebrate technology and all our wonderful Speak Up participants we will be offering a daily $500 grant to one lucky Speak Up participating classroom or school during the week of December 16. All you need to do is take a picture with the Speak Up America 2013 Badge and post to either our Facebook, Twitter, orInstagram account with the hashtag #speakupsnapshot or by sending us an email at speakup@tomorrow.org with your photo to be entered to win. Please include an estimated number of Speak Up participants and the hashtag #speakupsnapshot in your comments! We are very sensitive to student and participants’ privacy and with that no faces are required to be in the photo. We just ask that you incorporate our special Speak Up America badge into a photo of your classroom or school, the more creative the better! See below for some examples: Other ideas: -Image of the front of your school with the Speak Up for America Badge -Photo from back of the room of students completing the survey -Group photo of teachers or school office staff who have completed the survey DOWNLOAD THE SPEAK UP AMERICA BADGE HERE Challenge Rules: There must be record of survey completion in our system, i.e. surveys taken at your school. Winners will be announced the following day You may only submit one picture per teacher or school per day (a school and multiple teachers from that school may enter on the same day, increase your chances!) A teacher or school may only win once during the photo challenge At least 25 submissions must be present for daily selection to occur, be sure to encourage others to participate. Free ISTE Conference Registrations Thanks to our good friends at ISTE, we have received two 2014 ISTE conference registrations (A $269 value) to gift to two of our Speak Up districts! The great thing is every district has an opportunity to win, all you need to do is encourage your K-12 community to participate in the survey during the Speak Up America 2013 campaign. This is a great way to reach out to different audiences that may have a lower participation number than you would like, for example a target of your K-12 parents, teachers or local community members! The more surveys you get in, the more opportunities you have to win! Your district will have two chances to snag a free registration: 1.) Get in any last minute surveys, any survey that comes in during Speak Up America 2013 campaign beginning Monday December 16, 2013 through the close of the survey on Friday, December 20, 2013 will be entered to win. We will be pulling a randomly selected survey during this timeframe and will award the free ISTE conference registration to the district the survey belongs to. 2.) Encourage participation in National Speak Up Day (12-18-13)! Every survey submitted on this date will be entered into a separate drawing for a free ISTE conference registration for your district. In addition to your free ISTE conference registration, the selected recipient attending the conference will also have the opportunity to join our CEO Julie Evans for some real Southern Cooking at Pitty Pat Porch in downtown Atlanta. Here’s your chance to pick our CEO Julie Evans’ brain on all things digital learning! Speak Up 2013 Preliminary data snapshots In celebration of our first annual Speak Up America campaign, we have pulled a special snapshot of preliminary data for students, parents, teachers, administrators and community members. Each day we will release a special infographic on NEW Speak Up findings. This is also the first time we’ve ever pulled a sampling of the Speak Up data before completion! Check below to see when we will be releasing each snapshot of data: Monday, December 16, 2013—Educators Tuesday, December 17, 2013—Parents Wednesday, December 18, 2013—Students Thursday, December 19, 2013—Administrators Friday, December 20, 2013—Community Members Speak Up Participant Map Is your state one of the top Speak Up states? Can your state do better? Check our Project Tomorrow Homepage (www.tomorrow.org) throughout the week to find out and track your state’s progress. Thank you for your interest and continued support in Speak Up! We look forward to your participation in Speak Up 2013! Be sure to stay updated on all things Speak Up by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our Blog. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at jhostert@tomorrow.org or via phone at 949/609-4660 ext. 17. Jenny Hostert Speak Up Operations Manager Project Tomorrow