A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

From the Assistant Secretary

OERI recently held a series of five public conversations about reauthorization. For this issue, I am offering my column to a student to demonstrate the kinds of responses we received. The following article was written by ninth-grader Sylvia Martinez, a student at Travis High School, Austin, Texas, the location of one of our public conversations. These conversations were to provide OERI with feedback on how it can better serve its customers: the community, school officials, policymakers, teachers, researchers, teacher-educators, parents, and-ultimately-students.

Travis Participates in OERI Conversation

by Sylvia Martinez

When OERI's former Assistant Secretary Sharon Robinson came to visit William B. Travis High School in early May, she spoke to us and made some important points that I could not have realized on my own. Her support for Travis is incredible. She backs everything that is important for one's education.

I was pleased to hear that Robinson was coming to our school to speak. I made sure to attend the assembly and participate in the discussion. Every question that I had for Robinson was answered precisely and made me think about different concepts of learning around the nation.

For one thing, I have the impression that she thinks the IMAGE program has been a success. IMAGE has definitely helped me as a student. IMAGE, which stands for International, Multicultural, and Global Education, allows students to participate in different learning situations with cooperative learning groups, more multicultural studies, and heterogeneous classes that allow every student a fair shot for honors credit. Classes are 90 minutes long, and there are four classes per day for each semester. This allows us to take eight different courses and earn more course credits. Being in class for this amount of time helps me gain a better understanding of the course I am in.

Also, I asked her opinion of communication satellites. She responded that schools need to use satellite and other forms of communication so that schools are not isolated from the broad community in which students must interact. I work in a communications satellite program called Youth VUE. A board of students at Youth VUE prepares news packages for KVUE-24, which is a local television station here in Austin. Community representatives give us advice and support.

Other questions that were offered at the discussion concerned dropouts, teen-parent benefits, and college preparation. I was glad to see the amount of community participation on Austin Independent School District's (AISD) behalf. There were administrators, lawyers, teachers, and students from all around. Not only was AISD part of the audience, but there were even educators from out of town who came all the way to Travis to be part of the discussion.

I was impressed and, at the same time, very proud of my school for being brave enough to take on new programs such as IMAGE that will improve the learning environment for students who want and need a good education.

These public conversations do not end our discussions with our customers. We will be asking for additional comments in the near future in response to proposals to be published in the Federal Register. We hope to hear from all of you as we work to build a new OERI.

Sharon P. Robinson
Former Assistant Secretary

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