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Education advocacy group honors SAS researcher with new awardSanders Award recognizes ground-breaking educational improvement workCARY, N.C. (Nov. 22, 2004) – An Ohio-based education advocacy group has created an award to honor a nationally-renowned SAS researcher and statistician for his groundbreaking work in improving educational accountability. Dr. William Sanders received the inaugural Sanders Award during the first-ever National Valued-Added Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle for Kids, an organization that seeks to strengthen support for education within the business community and the general public, plans to present the award annually to honor individuals who are effectively using value-added information to improve student learning. Sanders’ value-added analysis provides an important new diagnostic dimension in education accountability, helping schools determine whether they are making progress toward reaching achievement standards like those created by No Child Left Behind legislation. "Sanders’ research validates what educators have always known – that good teachers, good schools and good administrators make a huge difference for kids,” said Jim Mahoney, executive director of Battelle for Kids, a partnership established by the Ohio Business Roundtable. Schools across the country have looked to Sanders’ methodology of using a wealth of diagnostic information to objectively measure student academic progress since 1992, when Tennessee lawmakers made his Value-Added Assessment System a centerpiece of their school improvement efforts. Value-added analysis equips educators with the vital data they need to measure progress, highlighting areas of success and focusing on areas of concern for all students. By recognizing progress as well as achievement, the data provides schools and districts with an additional tool to ratchet up student achievement. Sanders, who is also a senior research fellow with the University of North Carolina, has worked with Battelle for Kids for nearly two years. Under his guidance, the group has designed a value-added pilot initiative, known as Project SOAR (Schools’ On-line Achievement Reports), to help Ohio school districts analyze student performance data in an effort to raise student achievement levels. The centerpiece of Project SOAR is a secure Web site where pilot participants can view district, school, grade and student-level data. More than 500 school administrators, policymakers, school board members and educators from 17 states attended the two-day National Valued-Added Conference. About Battelle for KidsBattelle for Kids is a unique partnership initiative that champions improved student achievement in Ohio by strengthening support from the business community and the general public for an education system that is grounded in four key cornerstones: clear, rigorous academic content standards; support to improve teaching and learning; fair and effective assessments; and accountability for results. Supported by an initial grant from Battelle, a science and technology company, Battelle for Kids was established in 2001 by the Ohio Business Roundtable to build public and political support for the changes outlined by Governor Bob Taft's Commission for Student Success. For additional conference info, call Battelle for Kids at 614-469-5966 or visit www.BattelleforKids.com.
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Dr. William Sanders of SAS Institute (right) receives the inaugural Sanders Award from Jim Mahoney, executive director of Battelle for Kids (left) |