ED Review (04/22/05)
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- Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 09:49:43 -0400
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ED REVIEW
April 22, 2005
...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to
the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
________________________________________________________
NCLB UPDATE (http://www.ed.gov/nclb/)
It has been a busy two weeks on the stump for Secretary Spellings. First,
on April 14, she testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions Committee regarding lifelong learning
(http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/2005/04/04142005.html), highlighting the No
Child Left Behind Act and the President's high school initiative ("No
government program available at age 20 can make up for a poor education from
ages 5-18"), as well as the President's proposals to reauthorize the Higher
Education Act and the Perkins vocational program ("President Bush's
proposals will help create a seamless educational continuum from K-12
through college and beyond -- to serve young students and adults seeking to
adapt to the ever-changing global economy"). Second, on April 18, she
discussed with school principals the Department's new "common-sense
approach" to working with states that focuses on results for students
(http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/2005/04/04182005.html). "We all have
learned much over the last three years, and now we need to use this new
information to improve the way we do our work," the Secretary explained.
"We know the heavy lifting of closing the achievement gap and making this
law a reality takes place in your schools, and we want to know what is
working and what needs to work better." Third, on April 19, she addressed
the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on maintaining a robust economy.
(http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/2005/04/04192005.html). "As local leaders,
you know that the best way to keep your economies growing and your
communities strong is to close the achievement gap," the Secretary stated.
"States with the best school systems will end up with the best jobs."
Meanwhile, the Department is accepting nominations for its annual American
Stars of Teaching awards, which recognize teachers who are improving student
achievement -- using innovative strategies -- and making a difference in the
lives of their students. Anyone can nominate an American Star; after the
Department receives that nomination, a verification form is sent to the
principal at the teacher's school. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://www.ed.gov/teacherinitiative/.
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DIALECT SPEAKERS AND LINGUISTICS
Find Resources for African American Black Vernacular,
Creole, Patois, A pidgin is a new language which develops
in situations where speakers of different languages need to
communicate but don't share a common language.
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Linguistics/Home_Linguistics.html>
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________________________________________________________
TEACHER AWARDS
Speaking of star teachers, congratulations to Jason Kamras, who was just
named National Teacher of the Year, the first time in the contest's 53-year
history that a District of Columbia educator has won the top prize. Kamras
joined Southeast's John Phillip Sousa Middle School in 1996 and has
initiated several innovative programs that have helped boost math scores.
Consequently, his students have met the district's adequate yearly progress
targets every year since the No Child Left Behind Act was implemented. He
will now take a year off, with pay, to serve full-time as a national and
international spokesperson for education. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO
TO http://www.ccsso.org/projects/National_Teacher_of_the_Year/. (Note:
Kamras was recognized at the White House on Wednesday. The President's
remarks are available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/04/20050420-1.html.)
Also, the White House recently recognized 95 teachers with the Presidential
Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. For example,
Florida's Rachel Hallett organized an archeological dig for a 60-foot
dinosaur skeleton behind her middle school. She built the dig area and the
dinosaur to give her sixth-graders a chance to get out of the classroom and
learn how scientists gather data in the field. Every awardee receives a
$10,000 gift from the National Science Foundation. FOR MORE INFORMATION,
PLEASE GO TO http://www.paemst.org/.
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LITERACY FROM HOME LANGUAGE TO THE STANDARD
Why don't people vote? 50% of all Americans over 65 years old
are functionally illiterate. 60% of the Urban School Children do
not graduate High School of the 40% that do they are only
reading at 4th grade level. Find out more about literacy and
approaches to improving it. Learn how to successfully bridge
from the Dialect Speakers' home language to the Standard.
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Literacy/default.asp
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________________________________________________________
DEPUTY SECRETARY
President Bush has nominated Raymond Simon, current Assistant Secretary for
Elementary and Secondary Education, to be the new Deputy Secretary of
Education. Under Secretary Spellings' agency reorganization plan, the
Deputy will oversee all K-12 education policy, including the No Child Left
Behind Act, the President's high school initiative, and the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act. (The Undersecretary, yet to be nominated, will
oversee all higher and adult education policy.) Clearly, Simon's
one-and-a-half-year term in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
and past experience as teacher, administrator, and director of the Arkansas
Department of Education make him a natural choice for this critical post.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/04/04152005a.html.
________________________________________________________
GRANT POLICIES
The U.S. Department of Education is transitioning to Grants.gov, a web site
that allows individuals and organizations to find and apply for grants from
all grant-making agencies electronically. If you are planning to apply for
federal grants, please note the following:
=B7 All potential applicants for grants should register early at
Grants.gov. Do not wait until the grant opportunity you are interested in
is posted.
=B7 The Department has changed its policy and procedural requirements
for permitting applicants, under certain circumstances, to submit paper
applications for competitions that otherwise require the electronic
submission of applications through Grants.gov or e-Application.
=B7 The Department's Grants Forecast
(http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html) indicates which
competitions might decide to use Grants.gov this year; however, the
application notice for each competition is always the final authority.
=B7 In addition to the preceding information, potential applicants for
grants should read the Federal Register notice published by the Department's
Chief Financial Officer on February 10, 2005 (see
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2005-1/021005d.html).
=B7 For information on Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov Help Desk at
1-800-518-GRANTS.
And how about a grant opportunity? The Teaching American History Grant
Program -- which requires e-Application -- supports projects to raise
student achievement by improving teachers' appreciation and understanding of
traditional American history. Grant awards assist school districts, in
partnership with entities that have extensive content expertise (such as
colleges and universities, libraries, and museums), to design, implement,
and demonstrate "effective, research-based professional development
programs." Applications must be received by June 14. FOR MORE INFORMATION,
PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/programs/teachinghistory/.
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WHY EBONICS IS A LANGUAGE
Stigmatized and Standardized Varieties in the Classroom:
Interference or Separation? What is among the most serious social
problems that our country faces? The failure of inner-city schools
to teach children to read.
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Linguistics/Home_Linguistics.html
**********************************************************************
________________________________________________________
REGIONAL NEEDS ASSESSMENTS
Last week, after a year of conducting educational needs assessments of their
regions, the 10 Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) submitted their final
reports to the Secretary. RAC members identified major challenges to the
successful implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act and considered
types of technical assistance that might mitigate the challenges.
Nationwide, four themes emerged: better integration of and more effective
use of existing resources; more rigorous use of scientifically based
research and data in decision-making; broader engagement with parents and
other stakeholders; and strengthening the capacity of state educational
agencies. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://www.rac-ed.org/Default.aspx?tabid=3D294&DMXModule=3D880&EntryId=3D948=
.
________________________________________________________
IG REPORT
The Department's Inspector General, John Higgins, has completed his
investigation of the agency's FY 2003 contract with Ketchum Communications.
While noting "Department officials made some poor management decisions,
including the failure to provide critical information to decision-makers,
and exercised poor judgment and oversight," Higgins found "no violations of
contract law" and "no evidence of any ethical violations in the formation of
the Ketchum contract and Graham Williams Group work requests." Secretary
Spellings accepted the IG's findings and concurred with recommendations for
providing better oversight of contracts. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/a19f0007.html.
________________________________________________________
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
On April 20, Department Press Secretary Susan Aspey issued the following
statement regarding the National Education Association's lawsuit against the
Department:
"Today's announcement is regrettable. No Child Left Behind is, at its core,
about fairness and educational opportunity for all students. The
preliminary results are in, and in just three short years, states across the
nation are showing strong gains in student achievement. The achievement gap
-- decades in the making -- is finally starting to narrow. President Bush
and Congress have provided historic funding increases for education....
Four separate studies assert the law is appropriately funded and not a
mandate.... [And] we're not alone in our efforts. Respected, national
education organizations, including the Council of the Great City Schools and
the Council of Chief State School Officers, are working with us to continue
this unprecedented national progress. We intend to continue moving forward
in partnership with national and state education leaders...."
________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS
National Charter Schools Week is May 1-7. The Department's Office of
Innovation and Improvement has events scheduled for the week at high
performing charter schools across the country, including Boston, Chicago,
Dearborn (MI), Denver, Greenville (SC), Philadelphia, San Diego, San
Francisco, and Woodland Hills (CA). Also, a kick-off celebration is planned
at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Washington, D.C., on May 2. FOR MORE
INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://www.ed.gov/news/events/csweek2005.html.
Time is running out to register for one of the Department's 2005 summer
workshops for teachers and principals. The Phoenix and Tampa workshops are
full! Still available: Cincinnati (6/20-22), Minneapolis (7/11-13),
Bethesda, MD (7/25-27), and San Jose, CA (8/1-3). FOR MORE INFORMATION,
PLEASE GO TO http://www.teacherquality.us/TeacherToTeacher/Workshops.asp.
________________________________________________________
Please feel free to contact the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs with any
questions:
Deputy Assistant Secretary -- Ken Meyer, (202) 401-0404,
mailto:Ken.Meyer@xxxxxx
Program Analyst -- Adam Honeysett, (202) 401-3003,
mailto:Adam.Honeysett@xxxxxx
To be added or removed from distribution, or submit comments (we welcome
your feedback!),
please contact Adam Honeysett. Or, visit
http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/.
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