INVESTING IN INNOVATION COMPETITION CONTINUES

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

2013 Investing in Innovation Competition Continues with Invitation for Scale-Up and Validation Applications

Following the launch of the 2013 Investing in Innovation Development Competition earlier this spring, today the U.S. Department of Education announced the start of the competition for the i3 program's Scale-up and Validation categories. These grants will continue the Department's investments in promising strategies that can help to close achievement gaps and improve student learning.

"As the Department begins the fourth round of the i3 competition, we are encouraged by the work our current i3 grantees are undertaking, and look forward to supporting the scaling of effective practices in classrooms across the country through i3's Validation and Scale-up grants," said Jim Shelton, assistant deputy secretary for innovation and improvement. "These grants will target federal funds where they are needed most, and we are eager to continue to advance innovative strategies in education."

The i3 program aims to develop and expand practices that accelerate student achievement and prepare every student to succeed in college and in their careers, and, as in years past, includes three grant categories: Development, Validation and Scale-up. This year, school districts and nonprofit organizations in partnership with districts or schools are eligible to compete for nearly $135 million across all three categories. The Department invited pre-applications for the Development category—the most popular of the three—earlier this spring, and received nearly 600 submissions.

The maximum grant amount available in each category is based on the evidence of effectiveness. This year, Validation grants will provide up to $12 million to fund projects with moderate levels of evidence, and Scale-up grants will award up to $20 million for proposals that have strong evidence of improving student achievement.

As noted in the notice of final priorities for the program, the 2013 competition incorporates a few changes to reflect lessons learned from prior years and to strengthen the program overall. While the Department continues to focus on broad priorities, the 2013 i3 competition includes subparts under each priority to target specific areas of need and builds a portfolio of solutions that addresses specific challenges in education. Complementing the Administration's efforts to increase access to high-quality early learning opportunities for more children—especially those from disadvantaged communities—this year, the Department has included an invitational priority in both the Scale-up and Validation categories for applicants working on delivering high-quality early learning programs.

Applications will be evaluated by peer reviewers in the coming months, and the Department will announce the highest-rated applicants in late fall. Those applicants will then be required to secure private-sector matching funds in order to become a grantee. Validation grantees must secure a private-sector match comprising 10 percent of their budget; Scale-up grantees must secure 5 percent. As it did for the Development category this year, the Department also has modified the Scale-up and Validation competitions to help grantees build meaningful private-sector support. Each highest-rated applicant must submit evidence of 50 percent of the required private-sector match prior to the awarding of an i3 grant by the end of 2013. The i3 grantees must then provide evidence of the remaining 50 percent of the required private-sector match no later than six months after the project start date. Awards will be announced no later than Dec. 31, 2013.

U.S. ED DEPT. WILL RELEASE BLUEPRINT TO CHANGE TEACHING PROFESSION

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

U.S. Department of Education Releases Blueprint to Elevate and Transform the Teaching Profession, Calls Educators to Action

April 25, 2013

Today the U.S. Department of Education (ED) will release the Obama Administration's blueprint for elevating and transforming the teaching profession, also known as the Blueprint for RESPECT (Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence, and Collaborative Teaching).

RESPECT was first launched in February of 2012 as a national conversation on the teaching profession, shortly after the President committed to support the development of a new, comprehensive teacher policy in his state of the union address.

Since then, the Department has engaged more than 5,700 educators nationwide to develop and refine a vision of teaching and leading that will help both teachers and students to meet the new, 21st century demands being placed on them.

"Our nation's educators are entrusted with a responsibility that's impossible to overstate—which is nothing less than to prepare their students, and our children, for the future," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We heard from thousands of teachers from across the country who contributed their time and creative ideas to help the RESPECT blueprint reflect their own vision for the teaching profession. With this blueprint, together we can work to elevate the profession through competitive salaries, transforming professional development and career opportunities, and relying on the expertise of teachers to advance educational practice and improve outcomes for students."

The RESPECT Blueprint embraces seven critical components of a transformed teaching profession jointly identified by ED and seven other national organizations, including American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Association of School Administrators (AASA), Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services (FMCS), National Education Association (NEA), and National School Board Association (NSBA) last spring. It further identifies ways that this work will continue to be integrated into the Department's existing policies and calls the field to take action to work toward the RESPECT vision.

President Obama is continuing to ask for a $5 billion investment from Congress to support a RESPECT grant program outlined in the RESPECT blueprint, including salaries for the teaching profession competitive with professions like architecture, medicine and law, more support for novice teachers, and more career opportunities for accomplished teachers.

In tandem with the release of the blueprint, the Department has re-launched ED's educator homepage to include new information about the RESPECT initiative, including the blueprint document (both PDF and e-book formats), a description of how educators provided input, and video of teachers describing their connection with the RESPECT vision. The site also includes resources to help stakeholders take action, including a self-inventory to assess one's own school or district on the seven critical components of RESPECT.

 

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND WHITE PLAINS PUBLIC SCHOOLS RESOLVE CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education Announces Resolution of White Plains, N.Y., Public Schools Civil Rights Investigation

April 18, 2013

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced today that it has entered into a resolution agreement with the White Plains, New., Public Schools. The agreement commits the district to ensuring that all students, including African American, Hispanic and English Language Learner (ELL) students, are provided with equal opportunity and equal access to challenging classes and programs that will put students on a pathway for success in college and careers.

Under the agreement, the district will, as necessary:
Expand criteria to determine eligibility and selection for enrollment in programs and courses.
Expand student, parent, and community outreach about the available courses and programs; and
Make improvements to the academic counseling services at the middle and high school levels and training for relevant district and school site administrators and personnel.
These changes will be based on recommendations from an expert consultant, feedback from students, parents and staff, and a comprehensive self-assessment.

"Every student, regardless of his or her race, color, or national origin, must have an equal opportunity to participate in rigorous programs and courses that will put them on the right track toward being ready for college and careers," said Seth Galanter, acting assistant secretary for civil rights. "I applaud the steps the White Plains Public Schools have agreed to take to help ensure their compliance with Title VI."

OCR initiated a compliance review at White Plains under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to assess whether the district discriminated against minority students by establishing and implementing policies and procedures that resulted in their exclusion from enrichment programs, advanced/honors courses and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

Because the district begins identifying students for its enrichment program as early as the end of second grade, it is critical that the process, criteria and communication about entry to the enrichment program ensure an equal opportunity for all students to access and participate in the program. These types of programs frequently serve as a path to advanced/honors courses and AP courses at the high school level. African American, Hispanic and ELL students had disproportionately lower enrollment in all those program and courses.

The district worked closely with OCR and voluntarily entered into a resolution agreement prior to the completion of the investigation.

As a result, OCR made no findings on lack of compliance. The office's investigation revealed, however, that a disproportionately low number of minority students were participating in the district's high school Honors and AP high school courses and in earlier enrichment programs and advanced courses at the elementary and middle school levels.

For example, during school year 2011-2012, African American students represented 18 percent of the high school student enrollment, but less than 10 percent (37 of 395 students), of the Honors and AP enrollment.

That same year, Hispanic students represented 47 percent of the high school student enrollment, but only 31 percent (122 of 395) of the Honors and AP enrollment; and ELL students represented 9 percent of the high school enrollment, but only 3 percent (10 of 395) of the Honors and AP enrollment. If minority students were provided equal opportunities to participate in enrichment programs in their earlier years, they would have been more likely to participate in Honors and AP classes proportionate to their high school enrollment; over 100 additional minority students would have been enrolled in Honors and AP.

OCR's mission is to ensure equal access to education and promote educational excellence throughout the nation through the vigorous enforcement of civil rights. OCR is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination by educational institutions on the basis of disability, race, color, national origin, sex, and age, as well as the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001.

U.S. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AWARDS $3 MILLION FOR HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY AID

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education Awards $3 Million to Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and New York City to Aid in Recovery from Hurricane Sandy

February 14, 2013

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students has awarded $3 million in Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grants to Connecticut ($250,000), New Jersey ($1.25 million), New York ($500,000) and New York City ($1 million) to assist with recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The widespread damage of the storm was particularly devastating to these communities.

Project SERV grants provide critical support to districts that have experienced a significant traumatic event and need resources to respond, recover, and re-establish safe environments for students. The Office of Safe and Healthy Students has awarded more than $31.5 million to 104 grantees, including Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and New York City, since the grant program began in 2001.

"Project SERV grants provide key support to students and communities as they continue to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "These funds help the learning process continue and make resources available to students and educators who may still be dealing with the trauma of last fall’s devastating hurricane."

The three states—Connecticut, New Jersey and New York—will identify school districts and schools that were hardest hit by the storm. New York state’s funds may go to any district except New York City, as it is receiving a separate grant. All four grantees will use the funds to provide education-related services where the learning environment has been disrupted due to the storm’s effects. These services may include mental-health assessments, referrals and services; leasing of space to substitute for damaged buildings; emergency transportation; temporary security measures; and overtime pay for teachers, counselors, law enforcement and security officers, and other staff. Within 75 days after receiving their funds, the grantees will submit reports to the Department describing the basis for distributing the funds and the activities that are planned

PRESIDENT OBAMA OUTLINES GOALS FOR EDUCATION

Education was one of the main themes in President Obama's State of the Union address. Official White House photo by Pete Souza.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

In a State of the Union address focused on growing a strong middle class, President Obama outlined a series of bold proposals that will increase access to high-quality education. Among them were initiatives to make quality early education accessible to every child, to tame the spiraling cost of college, and redesign the country’s high schools to meet the needs of the real world. The President called for a new College Scorecard to show parents and students "where you can get the most bang for your educational buck."

These proposals complemented other efforts to strengthen the middle class, including calls to raise the minimum wage and reform immigration. Education was one of the major themes of the President’s annual speech delivered to Congress and the country.


Educators and students were also well represented as guests to First Lady Michelle Obama. Here are the education excerpts from the speech:

Early Learning
Study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road. But today, fewer than 3 in 10 four year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program. Most middle-class parents can’t afford a few hundred bucks a week for private preschool. And for poor kids who need help the most, this lack of access to preschool education can shadow them for the rest of their lives.
Tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America. Every dollar we invest in high-quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on – by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.
In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like Georgia or Oklahoma, studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, and form more stable families of their own. So let’s do what works, and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind. Let’s give our kids that chance.
Building the Skills that Lead to High-Quality, High-Wage Jobs
Let’s also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on a path to a good job. Right now, countries like Germany focus on graduating their high school students with the equivalent of a technical degree from one of our community colleges, so that they’re ready for a job. At schools like P-Tech in Brooklyn, a collaboration between New York Public Schools, the City University of New York, and IBM, students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate degree in computers or engineering.
In the President’s Plan for a Strong Middle Class & A Strong America, released in conjunction with the address, the President is calling on Congress to commit new resources to create a STEM Master Teacher Corps, enlisting 10,000 of America’s best science and math teachers to improve STEM education. The President continued by saying,
Four years ago, we started Race to the Top – a competition that convinced almost every state to develop smarter curricula and higher standards, for about 1 percent of what we spend on education each year. Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy.
We’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math – the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill jobs right now and in the future.
Holding Colleges Accountable for Cost, Value and Quality
Now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education. It’s a simple fact: the more education you have, the more likely you are to have a job and work your way into the middle class. But today, skyrocketing costs price way too many young people out of a higher education, or saddle them with unsustainable debt.
Through tax credits, grants, and better loans, we have made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years. But taxpayers cannot continue to subsidize the soaring cost of higher education. Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure they do.
Tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act, so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. And tomorrow, my Administration will release a new "College Scorecard" that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria: where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.

Rebuilding our Schools

The President also proposed a "Fix-It-First" program that would focus on urgent infrastructure repairs, which included schools.
And to make sure taxpayers don’t shoulder the whole burden, I’m also proposing a Partnership to Rebuild America that attracts private capital to upgrade what our businesses need most: modern ports to move our goods; modern pipelines to withstand a storm; modern schools worthy of our children.

$50,000 AWARDED TO CHICAGO SCHOOLS FOR RECOVERY FROM SHOOTINGS



School.  Credit:  U.S. Department Of Defense.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

U.S. Department of Education Awards Nearly $50,000 to Help Chicago Public Schools Recover from Multiple Shootings

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students has awarded Chicago Public Schools (CPS) an Immediate Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grant totaling nearly $50,000. The grant will provide assistance for recovery efforts following 35 shootings this past year at four high schools in the Greater Englewood community.


Project SERV grants provide critical support to districts that have experienced a significant traumatic event and need resources to respond, recover, and re-establish safe environments for students. The Office of Safe and Healthy Students has awarded more than $29 million to 99 grantees, including CPS, since the grant program began in 2001.

"These grants provide support to students, educators and communities impacted by these senseless shootings," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "Tragic events damage students and entire communities, and disrupt teaching and learning. These funds will support Chicago schools as they continue to recover from these acts of violence and work to make the community safer so all children can live free of fear."

Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the nation, has been impacted by the city's violence this past year. Numerous students have been shot on their way to and from their schools, and reactions and responses to the violence have resulted in high rates of disciplinary infractions, gang incidents, and fights and arrests. There also has been an increase in the amount of instructional time lost due to an increased number of suspensions and high absenteeism rates.

CPS applied for a Project SERV grant to support a project designed to restore the learning environment and immediately respond to any acts of violence that would affect teaching and learning. CPS proposes to build from its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports model of behavior management and its Response-to-Intervention model. These strategies provide academic support to create a responsive counseling program that integrates the principles of psychological first aid, conflict resolution and trauma-informed practice.

Project SERV would provide funding for a coach to train practitioners, organized into school-based teams, to identify, assess and manage student responses to violence, grief and loss. The school-based teams that comprise the counseling program will provide services and implement activities designed to reduce conflict, promote coping and healing, and facilitate teaching and learning.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REPORTS ON 'RACE TO THE TOP' ACCOMPLISHMENTS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
States Continue Progress During Second Year of Race to the Top
February 1, 2013

The U.S. Department of Education released state-specific reports for 12 Race to the Top grantees, detailing their progress on transforming education at the local level. The reports highlight the second-year work and accomplishments of states awarded funding through the first two phases of Race to the Top: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee.

"Race to the Top has sparked dramatic changes, and in only the second year of the program we’re seeing those results reach the classroom," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "Most states have made tremendous strides and met aggressive timelines on work that has the potential to transform public education for years to come. Comprehensive education reform isn’t easy, and a few states have faced major challenges in implementing their plans. As we reach the halfway point, we need to see every state show results."

The 12 reports provide detailed, transparent summaries of each state’s accomplishments and challenges in year two, which covered the 2011-12 school year, as well as the milestones they have ahead for year three. Each state’s work is measured against its own plan and progress in year two of its Race to the Top grant.

States reached a number of benchmarks in year two, as they implemented unique plans built around Race to the Top’s four assurance areas: implementing college- and career-ready standards and assessments, building robust data systems to improve instruction, supporting great teachers and school leaders, and turning around persistently low-performing schools. Some states made strategic investments to develop tools and resources for educators, students and parents; launch state-level support networks; or develop additional science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) schools or programs. Others launched new pipelines for teachers and leaders, supported key efforts to turn around low-performing schools, or implemented teacher and principal evaluations to better support educators and inform continuous improvement.

The Department’s Implementation and Support Unit (ISU) has partnered with states to track progress and provide feedback as they implement large-scale reform. Where states encountered delays and challenges, the ISU worked with them on adjustments to help move the work forward, while holding states accountable to their commitments. ISU officials will continue to provide annual updates about states’ progress under Race to the Top.

In addition to the year two state reports, today the Department posted Annual Performance Report (APR) data from states that received Race to the Top funding in phases one, two and three. This data helped to inform the year two reports, which were also developed with information from site visits, communications with state staff, and other performance reports. The APR helps to advance the Department’s efforts to provide transparent information and allow the public to follow grantees’ progress in implementing reform plans and meeting ambitious goals for student outcomes, including performance measures, student growth and closing achievement gaps.

The Race to the Top program, which made its first awards in 2010, has provided 24 states and D.C. with about $5 billion through three phases of the flagship competition and two rounds of the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge. Last year, the Department launched the first Race to the Top-District program, which will fund 16 applicants – representing 55 school districts across 11 states and D.C. – with close to $400 million to support locally developed plans that will prepare every student to succeed in college and their careers. The Department’s fiscal year 2013 budget requested an additional $850 million for the Race to the Top program to address the unmet demand of states and districts that have demonstrated a commitment to aggressive and comprehensive education reform.

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CLARIFIES OBLIGATIONS OF SCHOOLS TO OFFER EXTRACURRICULAR ATHLETICS TO DISABLIED STUDENTS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education Clarifies Schools' Obligation to Provide Equal Opportunity to Students with Disabilities to Participate in Extracurricular Athletics

Today, the Department's Office for Civil Rights issued guidance clarifying school districts' existing legal obligations to provide equal access to extracurricular athletic activities to students with disabilities. In addition to explaining those legal obligations, the guidance urges school districts to work with community organizations to increase athletic opportunities for students with disabilities, such as opportunities outside of the existing extracurricular athletic program.

Students with disabilities have the right, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, to an equal opportunity to participate in their schools' extracurricular activities. A 2010 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that many students with disabilities are not afforded an equal opportunity to participate in athletics, and therefore may not have equitable access to the health and social benefits of athletic participation.

"Sports can provide invaluable lessons in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and this guidance will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court," said Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

The guidance letter provides examples of the types of reasonable modifications that schools may be required to make to existing policies, practices, or procedures for students with intellectual, developmental, physical, or any other type of disability. Examples of such modifications include:
The allowance of a visual cue alongside a starter pistol to allow a student with a hearing impairment who is fast enough to qualify for the track team the opportunity to compete.
The waiver of a rule requiring the "two-hand touch" finish in swim events so that a one-armed swimmer with the requisite ability can participate at swim meets.
The guidance also notes that the law does not require that a student with a disability be allowed to participate in any selective or competitive program offered by a school district, so long as the selection or competition criteria are not discriminatory.

"Participation in extracurricular athletics can be a critical part of a student's overall educational experience, said Seth Galanter, acting assistant secretary for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). "Schools must ensure equal access to that rewarding experience for students with disabilities."

The mission of the Office for Civil Rights ("OCR") is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through the vigorous enforcement of civil rights. Among the federal civil rights laws OCR is responsible for enforcing are Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendment Act of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION DUNCAN'S REMARKS ON TAFT UNION HIGH SHOOL SHOOTING

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Secretary Duncan's Statement on School Shooting in Kern County, CA
January 10, 2013
"I was deeply troubled to learn today about another episode of gun violence in America's schools– this time at Taft Union High School in Kern County, California. This is another grim reminder of the urgent need to address gun violence in our society and in our schools, and it underscores the importance of the work President Obama and Vice President Biden are leading to keep our children and our communities safe."

SECRETARY OF EDUCATION ARNE DUNCAN STATEMENT ON CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Statement from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the Newtown, Connecticut, School Shootings

December 14, 2012"School shootings are always incomprehensible and horrific tragedies. But words fail to describe today's heartbreaking and savage attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School. As the father of two children in elementary school, I can barely imagine the anguish and losses suffered today by the Newtown community.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to every parent, child, teacher, staff member, and administrator at Sandy Hook and the surrounding community. And our thanks go out to every teacher, staff member, and first responder who cared for, comforted, and protected children from harm, often at risk to themselves. We will do everything in our power to assist and support the healing and recovery of Newtown."

MONEY NOW AVAILABLE SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIPS TO IMPROVE REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

Federal Prison In Miami

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Monday, November 19, 2012
Nearly $1 Million Now Available to Support Partnerships Offering Education and Workforce Training for Incarcerated Individuals Exiting Prisons

Reentry Education Model Released as Framework for Improving Rehabilitation Programs

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education announced today a new, nearly $1 million grant fund entitled, "Promoting Reentry Success through Continuity of Educational Opportunities" (PRSCEO), that will invest in innovative programs preparing incarcerated individuals to successfully reenter society with the support of education and workforce training. Eligible applicants include adult education providers partnering to connect education in state correctional facilities with local communities.

PRSCEO provides an important opportunity for applicants to create new approaches and improvements for existing rehabilitation services. Every year, more than 700,000 incarcerated individuals leave federal and state prisons. Yet, existing policies and programs too often fail to prepare released prisoners to reenter society, leading 4 of every 10 to commit new crimes or violate terms of their release within 3 years. Failure to support successful rehabilitation costs states more than $50 billion annually.

Based on a cooperative agreement, the one-time grant funding comes from a section of the Second Chance Act, administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component within the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice.

"Expanding access to education is a proven strategy for reducing recidivism and preventing crime," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "By working together to support education and training programs for those rejoining our communities, the Departments of Justice and Education are helping to improve outcomes and ensure public safety."

"Education is key to creating successful pathways toward prosperity and opportunity for children and adults," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "Promoting effective policies that offer education and workforce training to low-skill individuals will protect our communities and benefit our economy."

The announcement was made today during a Department of Education-hosted Correctional Education Summit that gathered outside experts engaged in pursuing developing innovations to improve educational opportunities for youth and adults in secure confinement facilities. In conjunction with the event, the Department of Education released a new Reentry Education Model guidance document. Guidance outlined in the reentry model offers evidence-based improvements to support low-skill individuals leaving prison to successfully transition back into society through education and career advancement.

Suggested improvements include establishing an integrated reentry program that offers and incorporates education services, workforce training, and job search support into intake and prerelease processes and links education to employment services; targeting job support to labor market demands that do not have criminal history restrictions; using technology to increase program access and data to measure performance and outcomes; and conducting thorough program evaluations to further share lessons learned and best practices.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AWARDS $50,000 TO COLORADO SCHOOLS RECOVER FROM THEATER SHOOTING

Public School.  Credit:  Wikimedia. 

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education Awards Nearly $50,000 to Help Colorado's Aurora Public Schools Recover from Theater Shooting

November 16, 2012The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, formerly the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, has awarded Aurora Public Schools in Aurora, Colo., a Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grant totaling nearly $50,000. The grant will provide assistance for ongoing recovery efforts following a deadly shooting during the midnight premiere of the movie, "The Dark Knight Rises."

"This senseless attack profoundly impacted students and educators throughout the city, and these resources will help the Aurora community provide special care to those who need it," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We want to support this community as it continues to recover and reconnect after this horrific event."

Project SERV provides critical support to districts and institutions of higher education that have experienced a significant traumatic event and need resources to respond, recover, and re-establish a safe environment for students. The Office of Safe and Healthy Students has awarded more than $29 million to 97 grantees, including Aurora Public Schools, since the grant program began in 2001.

On Thursday, July 20, 2012, a lone gunman opened fire in the Century 16 multiplex theater. He shot and killed 12 people, including a recent school district graduate, and wounded 58 more. According to Aurora Public Schools, more than 300 of its students and staff were affected, including 50 students from Gateway High School, some of whom were injured, and 10 students from Hinkley High School, who experienced the shooting spree in the theater. With high school registration scheduled for the following week, and the new academic year’s launch scheduled for the week of August 6, 2012, the teaching and learning environment was immediately affected, and continues to be impacted by the tragedy.

Aurora Public Schools applied for and received a Project SERV Immediate Services grant in order to support efforts taken by the district to restore the learning environment while also providing critical assistance to students and staff.

ONLY SIX STATES HAVE NOT REQUESTED A NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND WAIVER

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department Of Defense

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Obama Administration Approves Idaho’s Request for NCLB Flexibility

34 States and DC Now Approved For Waivers, with Several States Still Pending
The Obama Administration today approved Idaho’s request for flexibility from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership. With the addition of Idaho, 34 states and the District of Columbia have now joined in a nationwide, bipartisan movement toward next-generation education reforms that go far beyond No Child Left Behind’s rigid, top-down prescriptions.

"With the addition of Idaho, a growing number of states nationwide are receiving much-needed flexibility from No Child Left Behind," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "More than a million students are now captured by states’ new accountability systems, and we continue to see impressive reform plans from the local level will drive student achievement and ensure that all students are ready for college and their careers."

Federal education law has been due for congressional reauthorization since 2007. In the face of congressional inaction, President Obama announced in September of 2011 that the Obama Administration would grant waivers from NCLB to qualified states. The first requests for waivers were granted in February of 2012.

The 34 states (plus the District of Columbia) that have been approved for waivers from NCLB include: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

The 10 states (plus the Bureau of Indian Education and Puerto Rico) with outstanding requests for waivers include Alabama, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, West Virginia.

The 6 states that have not yet requested a waiver include: Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont (request withdrawn), and Wyoming.

TOOLKIT FOR TEACHERS TO HELP PREVENT BULLYING

Photo:  Sunrise.  Credit:  NASA.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

U.S. Department of Education Provides Guidance to Help Classroom Teachers Combat Bullying

The U.S. Department of Education has released a free, two-part training toolkit designed to reduce incidents of bullying, for use by classroom teachers and educators. The toolkit was developed by the Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center, supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, in collaboration with the NEA and the American Federation of Teachers.

Teachers care about bullying in the classroom, but many don’t know how to effectively intervene and prevent it, according to data collected by the National Education Association (NEA). The toolkit is designed to provide classroom teachers with the knowledge and skills to intervene in bullying behavior and to de-escalate threatening behaviors at school. It includes two modules: "Understanding and Intervening in Bullying Behavior" and "Creating a Supportive Classroom Climate."

"Teachers play a critical role in identifying, addressing, reporting and intervening in bullying behavior in their classrooms," David Esquith, director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Students, said. "These modules will certainly help those teachers who don’t know what to do when these situations arise, and will strengthen the skills of those who do."

Module 1 consists of step-by-step instructions, including a preparation guide and trainer’s outline, for conducting workshops with teachers, educators and school personnel who work with students in a school environment. Materials for the workshop focus on:

Understanding what bullying behavior is and is not
Understanding what bullying behavior may look like in the classroom
Exploring ideas for responding to bullying behavior and
Becoming equipped with specific strategies for addressing and reporting bullying behavior.

Module 2 provides state-of-the-art information on how to build a supportive classroom climate. Research shows that classrooms that have strong relationships and are respectful of diversity have less bullying. Participants in the module will:

Consider what a supportive classroom climate looks like and how it can prevent bullying
Examine the role of teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships in building a supportive classroom climate
Explore strategies for preventing bullying in the classroom, including establishing a culture of respect for differences among students
Consider how a web of positive support among students and other adults across the school community can help prevent bullying.

"Teachers often get frustrated because they truly do care about their students and want to help stop bullying in their classrooms, but they don’t know what to do," Deborah Temkin, the Department’s bullying prevention coordinator, said. "These modules are based on the best available research and practices to give teachers effective tools to not only respond to bullying, but also to stop it before it starts."

The training modules build upon the success of training materials previously released for school bus drivers in June 2011. Since that time, the school bus training materials have been used to train more than 100,000 of the nation’s bus drivers. The classroom teacher modules were developed as a result of feedback from attendees at annual Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention summits the last three years. The summits were hosted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students in conjunction with the departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Defense, Agriculture, the Interior, the Federal Trade Commission, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the National Council on Disability. Teachers, educators and others from around the country attended the summits that focused on stopping bullying in schools and communities.

More than 33 percent of students who are bullied report it happening in classrooms, according to research from the National Center for Education Statistics. And the NEA reports that only 55 percent of teachers have received training on bullying policies at their schools. The training toolkit will help enhance teachers’ existing skills in building supportive classroom climates while sharpening the skills of others who work with students in school settings.

To access the free materials, click here.

U.S. STUDENT LOAN DEFAULT RATES

 

Photo Credit:  U.S. DOD.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
First Official Three-Year Student Loan Default Rates Published

Department continues efforts to help students better manage their debt.
September 28, 2012
The U.S. Department of Education today released official FY 2010 two-year and official FY 2009 three-year federal student loan cohort default rates. This is the first time the Department has issued an official three-year rate, which was 13.4 percent nationally for the FY 2009 cohort, a slight decrease from the trial three-year rate of 13.8 percent for the FY 2008 cohort. For-profit institutions had the highest average three-year default rates at 22.7 percent, with public institutions following at 11 percent and private non-profit institutions at 7.5 percent.

"We continue to be concerned about default rates and want to ensure that all borrowers have the tools to manage their debt," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "In addition to helping borrowers, we will also hold schools accountable for ensuring their students are not saddled with unmanageable student loan debt."

The Department is in the process of switching from a two-year cohort default rate to a three-year measurement as required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. The national two-year rate rose to 9.1 percent for the FY 2010 cohort, from 8.8 percent in FY 2009.

Congress included this provision in the law because there are more borrowers who default beyond the two-year window, and the three-year rate captures a more accurate picture of how many borrowers ultimately default on their federal student loans. In particular, for-profit colleges demonstrate a large increase in borrowers who defaulted during year three.

To help students access the tools and resources they need to avoid the negative consequences of defaulting on their student loans, the Department has redoubled its efforts to make borrowers aware of their student loan repayment options, including plans like Income-Based Repayment, which allows borrowers to cap their monthly student loan payments at 15 percent of their discretionary income. The Department also recently released an interactive financial aid counseling tool that helps borrowers with their college financing decisions, including information on flexible loan repayment options.

Calculation and breakdown of the rates
The two-year cohort default rates (CDRs) announced today represent a snapshot in time, with the FY 2010 cohort consisting of borrowers whose first loan repayments came due between Oct. 1, 2009, and Sept. 30, 2010, and who defaulted before Sept. 30, 2011. More than 4.1 million borrowers from nearly 6,000 schools entered repayment during this window, and almost 375,000 defaulted for an average of 9.1 percent.

The two-year CDR increased over last year’s rates for both the public and private non-profit sectors, rising from 7.2 percent to 8.3 percent for public institutions, and from 4.6 percent to 5.2 percent for private non-profit institutions. CDRs decreased for for-profit institutions from 15.0 percent to 12.9 percent, though the sector still has the highest average two-year rate.

The FY 2009 three-year rates announced today capture the cohort of borrowers whose loans entered repayment between Oct. 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2009, and who defaulted before Sept. 30, 2011. More than 3.6 million borrowers from over 5,900 schools entered repayment during this window of time, and approximately 489,000 of them defaulted.

Sector differences also exist when comparing the increase in the CDR from the two-year to the three-year rates for the FY 2009 cohort, with for-profit schools displaying the biggest jump in rates from year two to year three. The Department reported the two-year CDR for the FY 2009 cohort last year. The increases from the two-year to the three-year rates were 7.2 percent to 11 percent for public institutions, 4.6 percent to 7.5 percent for private non-profit institutions, and 15.0 to 22.7 percent at for-profit schools.

Sanctions
Two schools are subject to sanctions for having two-year default rates of 25 percent or more for three consecutive years: Centro de Estudios Multidisciplinarios in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Tidewater Tech in Norfolk, Va. As a result, these schools face the loss of eligibility in federal student aid programs, unless they bring successful appeals.

No sanctions will be applied to schools based on the three-year rates until three annual rates have been calculated. During this transition period, sanctions will continue to be based on the two-year CDR. However, any school with a three-year CDR of 30 percent or more must establish a default prevention task force and submit a default management plan to the Department. There were 218 schools that had three-year default rates over 30 percent, and 37 schools had three-year default rates in excess of 40 percent.

U.S. ED. DEPT. INVITES DISTRICTS TO APPLY FOR $400 MILLION "RACE TO THE TOP" MONEY

Photo:  Sec. Of Education  Arne Duncan.  From:  Dept. Of Education.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Education Department Invites Districts to Apply for $400 Million Race to the Top Competition to Support Classroom-Level Reform Efforts

The U.S. Department of Education announced today that it has finalized the application for the 2012 Race to the Top-District competition, which will provide nearly $400 million to support school districts in implementing local reforms that will personalize learning, close achievement gaps and take full advantage of 21st century tools that prepare each student for college and their careers. The program sets a high bar to fund those districts that have a track record of success, clear vision for reform, and innovative plans to transform the learning environment and accelerate student achievement.

"Race to the Top helped bring about groundbreaking education reforms in states across the country. Building off that success, we're now going to help support reform at the local level with the new district competition," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We want to help schools become engines of innovation through personalized learning so that every child in America can receive the world-class public education they deserve. The Race to the Top-District competition will help us meet that goal."

Race to the Top, launched in 2009, has inspired dramatic education reform nationwide, leading 45 states and the District of Columbia to pursue higher college- and career-ready standards, data-driven decision making, greater support for teachers and leaders, and turnaround interventions in low performing schools. The next phase proposes to build on those principles at the classroom level to support bold, locally directed improvements in learning and teaching that will directly improve student achievement and educator effectiveness.

The Race to the Top-District competition invites applicants to demonstrate how they can personalize education for all students and is aimed squarely at classrooms and the all-important relationship between teachers and students. The competition will encourage transformative change within schools, providing school leaders and teachers with key tools and support in order to best meet their students’ needs.

The Department received about 475 public comments on the draft notice it shared in May. The 2012 final program criteria invites applications from districts or groups of districts proposing to serve at least 2,000 students with 40 percent or more qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Districts will choose to apply for funding to support learning strategies that personalize education in all or a set of schools, within specific grade levels, or select subjects. In addition, a districts must demonstrate a commitment to Race to the Top’s four core reform areas and have signoff on their plan from the district superintendent or CEO, local school board president, and local teacher union or association president (where applicable) in order to be eligible.

Applicants from all districts are invited to apply. The Department plans to support high-quality proposals from applicants across a variety of districts, including rural and non-rural as well as those already participating in a Race to the Top state grant and districts not participating. These 4-year awards will range from $5 million to $40 million, depending on the population of students served through the plan. The Department is expecting to make 15-25 awards.

Grantees will be selected based on their vision and capacity for reform as well as a strong plan that provides educators with resources to accelerate student achievement and prepare students for college and their careers. Plans will focus on transforming the learning environment so that it meets all students’ learning abilities, making equity and access to high-quality education a priority. Teachers will receive real-time feedback that helps them adapt to their students’ needs, allowing them to create opportunities for students to pursue areas of personal academic interest – while ensuring that each student is ready for college and their career.

The program also offers competitive preference to applicants that form partnerships with public and private organizations to sustain their work and offer services that help meet students’ academic, social, and emotional needs, as well as enhance their ability to succeed.

THE MYSTERY OF COLLEGE COSTS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Secretary Duncan addressed the 2012 National Council for Community and Education Partnership’s (NCCEP) Annual GEAR UP Conference this week. ED’s GEAR UP program awards six-year grants to states and partnerships to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

Unraveling the Mystery of College Costs
Posted on July 24, 2012 by Cameron Brenchley

Waiting for college acceptance letters can be a nerve-racking experience filled with excitement and anticipation, but once approved, students and their families begin another anticipatory wait for financial award letters. The letters, which intend on laying out the cost of college, too often do a poor job of providing the bottom line on how much aid, grants and scholarships, and student loans will be needed to pay for college.

To help solve this problem, the Obama Administration released a model financial aid award letter today called the Shopping Sheet. The Shopping Sheet will standardize award letters, making it easier to comparison shop and provide students with key information including:

How much one year of school will cost;
Financial aid options to pay this cost, with a clear differentiation between grants and scholarships, which do not have to be repaid, and loans, which do;
The net costs after grants and scholarships are taken into account;
Vital information about student results, including comparative information about default rates, graduation rates, and median debt levels for the school;
And potential monthly payments for the federal student loans the typical student would owes after graduation.

To coincide with the release, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent an open letter to college and university presidents, asking them to adopt the Shopping Sheet as part of their financial aid awards starting in the 2013-14 school year. In the letter, Duncan explained that "we must unravel the mystery of higher education so that students can invest wisely and make the best, most informed decision possible about where to enroll."

 (Left)An example of the easy-to-read information on the Shopping Sheet

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SECRETARY DUNCAN WARNS OF AUTOMATIC BUDGET CUTS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Education Secretary Warns that Automatic Budget Cuts Would Hurt Children and Families Education Secretary Calls on Congress to Work with President Obama for a Long-Term Solution
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today detailed the impact of looming automatic budget cuts, saying they would force schools to lay off teachers and eliminate services for students while indiscriminately reducing programs that serve Americans of all ages.

"Essentially, we’re playing chicken with the lives of the American people – our schools, communities, small businesses, farms, public safety, infrastructure and national security," Secretary Duncan told members of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. "If we don’t work together to solve this problem, it further erodes what little faith remains in our elected leadership to put partisan politics aside and do the right thing for children and families."

If Congress fails to create a long-term plan to reduce the budget deficit by the end of the year, across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration will go into effect on almost every discretionary program, reducing funding for education, defense, public safety and all other federal agencies.

Duncan urged Congress to work with President Obama, who has submitted a plan that includes $4 trillion in deficit reductions and calls for targeted cuts in spending.

"We have tightened our belts in a responsible way," Duncan said. "Most importantly, the President’s plan is a long-term fix. It will put an end to the see-saw budgeting that leaves state and local officials wondering if they can count on the federal government to be a partner with them on education and other vital programs."

Based on the Congressional Budget Office’s projection that sequestration will reduce programs by 7.8 percent, Duncan estimated that the following programs would be at risk:
Title I funding would be cut by $1.1 billion, cutting off funding to more than 4,000 schools serving an estimated 1.8 million disadvantaged students. The jobs of more than 15,000 teachers and aides would be at risk. Students would lose access to individual instruction, afterschool programs, and other interventions that help close achievement gaps.
Funding for special education would be reduced by $900 million. That could translate into the layoffs of more than 10,000 teachers, aides, and other staff who provide essential instruction and other support to 6.6 million children with disabilities.
In higher education, the Department would need to slash spending on contracts to support the processing and origination of student loans, which could cause delays that will hurt students as they make decisions about college and could reduce services for borrowers seeking to repay their loans.
For Title I, special education and other large K-12 programs, the cuts would take effect in the fall of 2013. Duncan pointed out that in a recent poll 80 percent of school administrators said they would be unable to replace the lost federal funds with state and local money.

Duncan also highlighted the potential impact on Head Start, child care, health research and other programs that support children and their families.




　

MAJORITY OF U.S. STATES APPROVED FOR WAIVER REGARDING NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Obama Administration Approves Two More States For Nclb Flexibility – More Than Half of the Country Now Approved for Waivers, More to Follow
26 States Approved So Far; 10 States and Washington, D.C., Currently Under Review: Other States Can Still Apply 

The Obama administration approved Washington and Wisconsin today for flexibility from key provisions of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership.

This announcement brings to 26 the number of states that have been approved for waivers from NCLB, whose rigid, top-down prescriptions for reform, while well-intentioned, proved burdensome for many states.

Federal education law has been due for congressional reauthorization since 2007. In the face of congressional inaction, President Obama announced in September of 2011 that the Obama Administration would grant waivers from NCLB to qualified states.

The first requests for waivers were granted in February of 2012. Eleven additional requests are still under review, and there is still time for other states to apply.

"It is a remarkable milestone that in only five months, more than half of the states in the country have adopted state-developed, next-generation education reforms to improve student learning and classroom instruction, while ensuring that resources are targeted to the students that need them most," said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. "A strong, bipartisan reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act remains the best path forward in education reform, but as 26 states have now demonstrated, our kids can't wait any longer for Congress to act."

The 26 states that have been approved for waivers from NCLB include: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

The 10 other states (plus Washington, D.C.) with outstanding requests for waivers include: Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon and South Carolina.

The 14 states (plus Puerto Rico) that have not yet requested a waiver through this process include: Alabama, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont (request withdrawn), West Virginia and Wyoming.

States have until Sept. 6 to apply for the next round of waivers.

SECRETARY OF EDUCATION DUNCAN'S STATEMENT ON "CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964" ANNIVERSARY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Statement from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the Anniversary of The Civil Rights Act of 1964
JULY 2, 2012
"Forty-eight years ago today, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act states, 'No person in the United States shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.'

"In the education arena, Title VI applies to all elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities—public or private—that receive federal financial assistance, and its protection extends to all aspects of these institutions' programs and activities. Title VI also prohibits denial of equal access to college- and career-preparatory courses and programs and to other educational opportunities for English learners, as well as discriminatory discipline, harassment, or other barriers to equal education.

"The progress we've made toward fulfilling the promise of equal educational opportunities is marked by significant advances made by people of color across the nation. From the rising number of racial minorities with high school diplomas and bachelor's degrees to the increased attention and services designed to meet the educational needs of English learners, we have much to be proud of.

"But serious work remains to ensure equal opportunity for all students. A significant achievement gap persists between people of color and other groups. The high school graduation and bachelor's degree rates for Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaska Native students and other racial and ethnic minorities are still far lower than those for whites. Too many English learners still lack the instruction and services they need to be successful. As we are learning from the Civil Rights Data Collection, students of certain racial and ethnic backgrounds are receiving harsher discipline than other students. And there are too many racially isolated schools with unequal access to critical opportunities and programs. These trends are particularly troubling in an increasingly global economy where a postsecondary degree or certificate is more necessary than ever for a stable, well-paying career.

"So while today is an occasion to celebrate the progress this nation has made under Title VI, continuing that progress will require a sustained commitment to an equal education for all students. The Department's Office for Civil Rights will continue the legacy the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by vigorously enforcing Title VI and working to help end illegal discrimination in our nation's schools so that all children can learn and succeed."

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