[Transcript]
George Yorns: From
the news center in Washington this is AFRTS News. Students returning
to Department of Defense Education Activity schools are seeing
some changes this year. DoDEA officials say they've been doing
their homework over the summer.
Dr. Elizabeth Middlemiss: We're
in constant communication in schools, in districts, in areas,
and weâre looking to see those pockets of excellence,
those degrees of excellence, and finding the very best thatâs
out there and improving upon it.
Yorns:
Education officials are focusing on literacy.
They plan to introduce new teaching methods to help students
having difficulty reading and writing. High school students
will have an extra advantage in preparing for college. For the
first time, DoDEA is paying for all its tenth-graders to take
the PSAT. Officials say taking the test in tenth grade helps
students prepare for taking it in the eleventh grade, when national
merit scholarships are awarded. Officials say the test is critical
to instructors too.
Middlemiss: And very
important to DoDEA educators is that it allows us to look at
our programs and see where our students are performing well,
and where we might provide some additional support.
Yorns: Education
officials also plan to hold a symposium on high school. DoDEA's
high school principals will gather in Nashville for the first
time in October. Thatâs our report. From Washington I'm
George Yorn.
