[ECP] ED Review (05/04/07)
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ED Review (05/04/07)
NATIONAL DIALOGUE
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Teachers/safe.html
In an April 20 radio address President Bush called on the Departments
of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice to lead a
national dialogue with educators, mental health experts, and various
state and local officials on "steps" the federal government can take
to help keep students safe and prevent future tragedies. Therefore,
while in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the National Charter Schools
Conference (4/27) and Los Angeles, California, for the Education
Writers Association meeting (5/3), Secretary Spellings also conducted
roundtables on safety. Further, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe
and Drug-Free Schools Deborah Price and Acting Assistant Secretary
for Postsecondary Education Jim Manning have been traveling with
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt and Attorney General
Alberto Gonzales, respectively, to key states to learn from their own
experiences. By the end of this month, Spellings, Leavitt, and
Gonzales will report to the President on what they have heard.
Also, in an effort to expand the discussion, Secretary Spellings is
seeking public comment online. Specifically, she has three questions:
In what ways can technology help to communicate with students and
school professionals -- before, during, and after a crisis situation?
How can the many institutions involved in protecting students --
schools, colleges, law enforcement agencies, the medical and mental
health community, and others -- share critical information in a way
that protects individuals' privacy but does not sacrifice public safety?
What are the most effective programs and best practices for
preventing school violence and managing crises at U.S. schools and
college campuses?
Your comments on these items or suggestions sent to
mailto:SafeSchools@xxxxxx will assist the Secretary in developing
recommendations to be incorporated into the President's report.
NCLB UPDATE
http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/secletter/070423.html
In an April 23 letter to Chief State School Officers
Secretary Spellings provided an update on the Department's efforts to
ease implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act through pilot
programs (growth model, choice/SES, etc.), new grant competitions
(Teacher Incentive Fund, AC/SMART grants, etc.), and regulatory
flexibility (LEP, special education, etc.). Knowledge acquired from
these efforts was used to inform the agency's comprehensive
reauthorization proposal.
TEACHER QUALITY
http://www.ed.gov/news/av/video/edtv/
The next "Education News Parents Can Use" broadcast (May 15,
8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)
will focus on how the U.S. can prepare all teachers to lead students
toward success by exploring why effective teaching is at the core of
America's long-term economic competitiveness; highlighting
alternative strategies to recruit, train, and reward effective
teachers; in light of the Virginia Tech attacks, offering tips and
resources for teachers and parents on how to protect children from
emergencies and counsel them in trauma; and showcasing award-winning
teachers. Study after study offers compelling evidence that confirms
what we have always known: teachers are the single most important
factor in raising student achievement. Studies also show that verbal
ability and content knowledge are the most imperative attributes of
highly qualified and effective teachers. Equipped with these skills,
highly qualified teachers can maximize every child's potential to
meet high academic standards.
(You can watch live and archived webcasts at
http://www.connectlive.com/events/ednews/.)
TASK FORCE: STUDENT LOANS
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/04/04242007.html
Responding to public concerns about student loan lender practices,
Secretary Spellings recently announced the formation of an internal
Task Force on Student Loans. Consisting of members from the
Department's Offices of Postsecondary Education, Federal Student Aid,
and General Counsel, with representatives from the Office of the
Inspector General serving in an advisory role, the group will
consider such issues as preferred lender lists, prohibited
inducements, and a National Student Loan Data System. It will build
off the progress of the negotiated rulemaking committee on student
loans, which met four times from December 2006 to April 2007 but was
unable to reach consensus. The task force will report to the
Secretary by May 31.
Also: The Department has outlined new procedures for guaranty
agencies to restore their access to the National Student Loan Data
System. Access to the system was suspended April 17 amid concerns of
privacy violations as well as data mining. All guaranty agencies
must submit a list of users and certify these personnel will use the
system only for approved purposes. In addition, the Department has
enhanced the log-on process, requiring users to correctly enter a
series of letters and numbers displayed in a text box to gain
access. Guaranty agencies require access to the system to perform
functions critical to the delivery of federal aid.
RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
Last week, in a South Lawn ceremony with President Bush, First Lady
Laura Bush, and Secretary Spellings, music teacher Andrea Peterson
was named the 2007 National Teacher of the Year.
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Music/home_music.html
Peterson, who comes from a family of educators (including her father,
mother-in-law, and sisters-in-law) teaches at Monte Cristo Elementary
School in Granite Falls, Washington. She is the 57th recipient of
the notable award and only the second music instructor to be so
honored. The National Teacher of the Year program, sponsored by the
Council of Chief State School Officers and the ING Foundation,
designates an outstanding representative from among 56 State Teachers
of the Year (representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia,
several outlying territories, and the Department of Defense Education
Activity). The winner is selected by a panel of the 15 leading
national education organizations.
Granite Falls Monte Cristo Elementary School doesn't have a website!
And this teacher of the year doesn't have a web page!!
Then, on May 2, Secretary Spellings announced the selection of 2007
Presidential Scholars.
http://www.ed.gov/programs/psp/awards.html
The Presidential Scholars program was established by Executive Order
in 1964 to honor outstanding academic achievement. It was expanded
in 1979 to identify students who demonstrate talent in the creative,
visual, and performing arts. Each year, 141 students are named,
including at least one young man and woman from each state, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living
abroad. Another 15 students are chosen at-large, and 20 students are
scholars in the arts. Over 2,700 candidates qualified on the basis
of significant ACT or SAT scores or nomination through the nationwide
Arts Recognition and Talent Search. The Commission on Presidential
Scholars, appointed by the President, chooses finalists. Scholars
will be honored June 23-27 in Washington, D.C. Each scholar will
invite the teacher who had the greatest impact on his or her success
to participate in the ceremony and receive a certificate of appreciation.
THE BIG READ
http://www.neabigread.org/
The National Endowment for the Arts' The Big Read seeks to provide
citizens with the chance to read and discuss a single book within
their communities. Communities are encouraged to apply for one of
approximately 400 grants that will be awarded in 2008; 200 will be
awarded for programming occurring between January and June
(application deadline: July 31, 2007), and 200 more will be awarded
for programming occurring between September and December. In
addition to a grant, communities will receive a library of resources,
including reader's and teacher's guides and audio guides with
commentary from artists, educators, and public figures. Communities
will also get publicity materials. For 2008, communities will choose
from 12 prominent classics used in 2007 and nine new books: A Lesson
Before Dying by Ernest Gaines; Washington Square by Henry James; A
Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin; Call of the Wild by Jack
London; The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick; Housekeeping by Marilynne
Robinson; The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy (linked with Big
Read to Russia); The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain; and Old
School by Tobias Wolff.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Don't forget! This summer, the Department will convene 18
Teacher-to-Teacher regional workshops for teachers to learn from
fellow educators who have had success raising student
achievement. Registration is free, but participants are responsible
for transportation and lodging. http://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/Schedule.asp
Over the next two weeks, the Department will be exhibiting at the
Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference in Lake Buena Vista (FL)
(May 9-12) and the Latin American Association's Latino Summit in
Suwanee (GA) (May 10-12). If you are attending either of these
events, please stop by the Department's booth.
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