[ECP] [ECP K-12 Newsletters
- From: "K.E." <admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: K12NewsLetters@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:50:42 +0800
Hi to all the K-12 Newsletter Readers,
Announcements:
1) You can now follow me on Twitter
http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/
2) Remember all K-12 Newsletter posts go to the blog:
http://blog.edu-cyberpg.com/
I don't really send them in email anymore, so if you want them delivered that
way you can still have it but you must sign up on the blog for them now.
By example: You'll find the one below on the blog
thanks for reading,
<Karen>
ED REVIEW
March 13, 2009
...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to
the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
EDUCATION REFORM
On March 10, at a meeting of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President
Obama delivered the first major education speech of his presidency. "America
will not remain true to its highest ideals, and America's place as a global
economic leader will be put at risk, unless we not only bring down the crushing
cost of health care and transform the way we use energy, but also if we do not
do a far better job than we've been doing of educating our sons and daughters
-- unless we give them the knowledge and skills they need in this new and
changing world," he said. "The source of America's prosperity has never been
merely how ably we accumulate wealth but how well we educate our people?. The
relative decline of American education is untenable for our economy, it's
unsustainable for our democracy, it's unacceptable for our children, and we
can't afford to let it continue."
The President proposed five pillars of education reform:
"Investing in early childhood initiatives" like Early Head Start and Head Start;
"Encouraging better standards and assessments" by using testing itineraries
that better fit students and the world they live in;
"Recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers" with incentives for
a new generation of teachers and for new levels of excellence among all
teachers;
"Promoting innovation and excellence in America's schools" by modernizing the
school calendar and the structure of the school day and supporting effective
charter schools;
"Providing every American with a quality higher education -- whether it's
college or technical training."
"So, here's the bottom line," the President concluded. "Yes, we need more
money. Yes, we need more reform. Yes, we need to hold ourselves more
accountable for every dollar. But?no government policy will make any difference
unless we also hold ourselves more accountable as parents. Because government,
no matter how wise or efficient, cannot turn off the TV or put away the video
games. Teachers, no matter how dedicated or effective, cannot make sure your
child leaves for school on time and does their homework when they get back at
night. These are things only a parent can do. These are things that our parents
must do." FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/10/taking-on-education/>http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/10/taking-on-education/.
(Note: A fact sheet expanding on the five pillars is available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/fact-sheet-expanding-the-promise-of-education-in-america/).
ARRA OUTREACH (PAPER)
Last weekend, Secretary Duncan announced that $44 billion in funding from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will be available to states in
the next 30-45 days. Indeed, the Department will release half the Title I, Part
A aid ($5 billion) and half the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA), Parts B and C aid ($6.1 billion) without new applications. Also, by the
end of March, governors will be able to apply for 67% ($32.6 billion) of the
State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, with funding released within two weeks after
acceptable applications are received. In addition, at least $433 million will
be available under various formula-based programs, such as vocational
rehabilitation ($270 million), independent living ($53 million), education for
homeless children and youth ($70 million), and Impact Aid school construction
($40 million). A second round of Title I, IDEA, and State Fiscal Stabilization
Fund aid, as well as funding for other ARRA programs, will be distributed
between July 1 and September 30. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/implementation.html
Seeking information on a particular ARRA program? The Department has released
initial guidance for:
Title I, Part A grants to school districts
(http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/title-i.html);
IDEA, Part B grants to states and preschool grants
(http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/idea.html); and
the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund
(http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/stabilization-fund.html).
Other ARRA program guidance and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are under
development.
Keep in mind, $5 billion of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund has been
reserved for the Secretary. This includes a $4.35 billion "Race to the Top"
fund to help drive significant gains in student achievement by supporting
states making substantial progress on four key reform goals: developing
rigorous college- and career-ready standards and high-quality assessments that
are valid and reliable for all students; establishing preschool to college and
career data systems that track progress and foster continuous improvement;
making improvements in teacher effectiveness and in the equitable distribution
of qualified teachers for all students; and providing intensive support and
positive interventions for the lowest-performing schools. This also includes a
$650 million "Invest in What Works and Innovation" fund to help districts and
non-profit organizations with a strong track record of results. Applications
for these competitive grants will be posted expeditiously. The Race to the Top
grants will be made in two rounds: fall 2009 and spring 2010.
Note: Don't want to miss a thing? Get ED ARRA news by visiting
www.ed.gov/recovery/ or by subscribing to the ED ARRA RSS feed at
http://www.ed.gov/rss/arracomms.xml. If you are interested in other ED news and
resources (in addition to the ARRA), subscribe to the ED RSS feed at
http://www.ed.gov/rss/edgov.xml or track ED on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/usedgov/.
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH (MEDIA)
Featuring a taped interview with Secretary Duncan, the next "Education News
Parents Can Use" broadcast (March 17, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) will highlight the
ARRA, its potential to save and create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and its
promise for generating urgently needed reform in schools across the country.
Today, the nation is facing a severe economic crisis: the economy is losing
half a million jobs each month, consumer credit is frozen, purchasing power is
in decline, and, as a direct result, tax revenues for state and local
governments are falling at an alarming rate. With states required to balance
budgets and with education accounting for the largest component of state
government expenditures, budget deficits threaten massive cuts in education
funding to districts. In fact, a study commissioned by the University of
Washington finds that the downturn could result in states cutting over 15% of
their education spending -- an $80 billion drop that could eliminate up to
600,000 jobs in the field. With the passage of the ARRA, President Obama and
Congress have taken steps to protect the future of our children and lay the
foundation for a generation of reform. This one-time, two-year investment
represents the single largest boost in education funding in U.S. history --
comparable to the G.I. Bill that sent so many young World War II veterans on to
college. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/edtv/. (You can
watch archived webcasts at http://www.connectlive.com/events/ednews/.)
______________________________________________________________________
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
On March 6, Secretary Duncan and Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe
Biden, held a panel discussion at Miami Dade College to exchange ideas on
improving the nation's higher education system and the importance of community
colleges in job creation. They also talked about how ARRA funds will help make
college more affordable for families. "As a community college professor [at
Northern Virginia Community College], I can see first-hand the significant and
critical role that community colleges play in educating students and preparing
them for a fiercely competitive workforce," Dr. Biden emphasized. "Community
colleges will no doubt play an increasingly important role in restoring the
economy over the coming years by training Americans for jobs of the future in
affordable and accessible ways." Of the $30.8 billion in the ARRA for higher
education, $17 billion will be used to close the shortfall within the Pell
Grant program and boost grant amounts by $500 to $5,350 in the first year. Such
an increase in aid will benefit low-income students who are disproportionately
represented at community colleges. Also, changes in the American Opportunity
Tax Credit will provide relief to more families struggling to pay for college.
This education tax credit will make the cost of tuition and fees at community
college virtually free for many students -- covering up to $2,500 of college
expenses. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/03/03062009.html.
Also: Yesterday (March 11), the Secretary testified before the House Budget
Committee on the President's Fiscal Year 2010 budget request, including the
President's proposals to transform higher education. FOR MORE INFORMATION,
PLEASE GO TO
http://budget.house.gov/hearings/2009/03.12.2009_Duncan_Testimony.pdf.
______________________________________________________________________
NEW RESEARCH
Check out these new resources from the Department's National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES):
"Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education:
School Year 2006-07" (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009337).
Some findings? Approximately $555.3 billion was collected in revenues for
public K-12 education in the 50 states and the District of Columbia in Fiscal
Year 2007. The federal government's contribution was $47 billion, or 8.5% of
all revenues. Current expenditures totaled $476.8 billion, and current
expenditures per student was $9,683.
"Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2007; Graduation Rates, 2001
and 2004 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2007"
(http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009155). Some findings? In
fall 2007, institutions in the U.S. enrolled a total of 18.7 million
undergraduate and graduate students -- 62% in four-year colleges, 36% in
two-year colleges, and 2% in less-than-two-year colleges. Approximately 57% of
full-time, first-time bachelor's or equivalent degree-seekers attending
four-year colleges completed their degree at the college where they began their
studies within six years. During the 2006-07 academic year, 73% of the 2.8
million full-time, first-time degree-seekers attending institutions located in
the U.S. received financial aid.
"Mini Digest of Education Statistics: 2008"
(http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009021). This is a
pocket-sized compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of
American education from kindergarten through graduate school. The statistical
notes are excerpts from the "Digest of Education of Statistics: 2008."
Also: The latest Achiever newsletter (http://www.ed.gov/achiever/) spotlights a
Norfolk, Virginia, elementary school -- whose white and African-American
student enrollments are nearly equal -- that has eliminated the academic
achievement gap, with 99% of black students and 94% of white students reading
at or above grade level.
______________________________________________________________________
YOUTH WEB SITE
A new federal web site, http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/, provides interactive
tools and other resources to help community organizations and partnerships in
their efforts to support youth. While on the site, developed through the
coordination of 12 federal agencies, a user can learn about the critical
elements of effective youth partnerships, generate maps of local and federal
youth programs, and search a database of evidence-based programs to deal with
risk and protective factors in youth. This spring, the site will add on tools
for strategic planning.
______________________________________________________________________
QUOTE TO NOTE
"It's the founding promise of our nation: that we can make of our lives what we
will; that all things are possible for all people; and that, here in America,
our best days lie ahead. I believe that. I truly believe if I do my part, and
you, the American people, do yours, then we will emerge from this crisis a
stronger nation, and pass the dream of our founding on to posterity, ever safer
than before."
-- President Barack Obama (3/10/09), in remarks before the U.S. Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce
______________________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS
The next Scientific Evidence in Education (SEE) forum is scheduled for March 24
(12:00-1:45 p.m. ET) at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The topic?
New research on four popular elementary school math curricula. The forums are
free, but space is limited, so register in advance online. FOR MORE
INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.seeforums.org/.
The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based organization that supports education
entrepreneurship, is accepting applications for the third cohort of its
fellowship program -- which affords individuals with the opportunity to develop
and launch initiatives to transform public education. Fellows receive an annual
salary of $90,000 for two years, benefits, and customized training. Fellows who
opt to live in Indianapolis will also receive office space. Applications, with
a statement of intent, are due July 31. Fellowships will be awarded by November
20. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.themindtrust.org/.
Next week, the Department will exhibit at the U.S. Hispanic Leadership
Institute's National Conference in Chicago (March 17-21) and the National
Science Teachers Association's National Conference on Science Education in New
Orleans (March 19-22). If you are attending either of these events, please stop
by the Department's booth.
Other related posts:
